And I'm sorry to say this is the sad part.
Picture is for all the tears shed both in the story and by all the readers for this dramatic death scene.
Summary: Karayan puts his plan into action. Nicholas dies.

      "Now you wait here." Karayan commanded his young nephew. "Your father has a marvelous surprise for you!"
      "Ooh! What is it?"
      "Now if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"
     Karayan had already run through the plan with the members of the Old Religion. He had invited mercenaries to join his ranks, although only for his plan. At his command, the ladies of the Old Religion would convince them to attack the young prince. And both prince and king would die this night.
      He smiled at the thought.
      "Besides, this is for you and your daddy. A sort of father son thing." He trailed off. "So just wait here while I go get him. We wouldn't want you to end up in another mess like you did with the ladies of the Old Religion. Lucky daddy was there to save you but I wouldn't want you to have to count on him all the time. So just wait for us."
      He knew Merlin would be too embarrassed from the accident to disagree.
      Merlin seemed to visibly deflate until a thought occurred to him. "Hey, Uncle Karayan! Will I like the surprise?"
      "Merlin, it's to die for."
      Then Karayan ran off.
                            * * * * *
      The first thing he did was to signal the ladies of the Old Religion. They rushed off to get the mercenaries. Once Karayan saw them in the area, he rushed to Nicholas.
      Nicholas and Nyx were in the middle of their morning walk around the kingdom when Karayan came running up, looking terrified.
       "Brother! Trouble! There are mercenaries in the area!"
       "What? Merlin's out there!"
       They raced off to help Merlin while Nyx was told to return to the castle to get help.
                           * * * * *
       Merlin saw the mercenaries coming and ran. He wasn't fast enough, though, so it was lucky when Nicholas showed up and began fighting them. He told Merlin to keep running and don't look back.
      Merlin began to run when he heard the agonizing sound of his father being stabbed by the mercenaries!
      Luckily, the wound wasn't too deep and was in his side. He could make it out alive!
      When Merlin saw his father was ok, he made a run for the hills, trying to find where his uncle had gone.
      Karayan had slipped away to a spot where he could watch his plan unfold. Nicholas found Karayan and begged for his help to get to the top of the hill and bandage his wound.
      Karayan grinned evilly as he took out a knife. "Love live the king!" He proclaimed as he stabbed his brother in the heart. "Goodbye, brother." He said quietly as he watched him fall to his death.
      He then used his magic to melt into the shadows as he looked for Merlin. Merlin hadn't seen the scene on the hill. He had only seen his father stabbed by mercenaries, try to crest a hill that he couldn't see from his own vantage point, and fall to his death.
      He ran over to his father who was too far gone at this point. He couldn't be saved even if the healers were here now. His spirit had already left his body.
      As Merlin mourned the loss of his father, Karayan appeared from the shadows.
      "Merlin, what have you done?"
      "I didn't mean for this to happen!"
      "Of course you didn't. No one ever means for these things to happen." Karayan looked somber. "But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."
      "What do I do?"
      "Run away, Merlin. Run away and never return!"
      So Merlin followed his uncle's advice and did just that.
       Nimueh and the twins appeared behind Karayan at that moment. "Kill him."
                           * * * * *
       Merlin somehow managed to escape their grasp, just barely. They decided to hide the fact that he was still alive.
      Back in Paradise, Nyx brought the help just in time to find Nicholas dead and Merlin nowhere around.
       "It's a sad day." Karayan declared as they gathered in the throne room.
      Regina was sobbing at the loss of her family while Anastasia tried to comfort her. Rose was tucked into her mother's side, sobbing as well. The rest were crowded around, sobbing for their lost king and prince.
      "The king is dead and so is the young prince. My own brother and nephew gone...just like that." He put emotion in his voice, willing false tears to cloud his eyes. "I am more upset than anyone will ever know. Despite our differences, I love my brother. And Merlin was not only my family. He was my friend.
      "Losing them has taken a part of me away. I wish all I could do would be to cry. Alas! I cannot! Regina, my sister, we cannot let this kingdom fall to ruin because of the deaths of our family. This kingdom must remain strong.
       "I know you are grieving. I cannot force you to take control of this kingdom, not while you are grieving, not while you are alone with no husband to guide you.
       "We have only one choice. The king is dead. Merlin would've been his successor but he too is dead. Both killed by mercenaries. I was second after Merlin. So it's only fitting that I take the throne.
       "I will be a great king for this kingdom, I swear it!"
       Gaius was called forth. He was needed to be present at all royal births, deaths, coronations, and weddings.
      "What he says is correct. He is the only living relative left of our dynasty. He must become king as a queen cannot rule without a king. Karayan, step forth."
       Karayan stepped up to the throne. Gaius took the crown and raised it high above Karayan's head.
       "Prince Karayan, son of Balthazar the Great, I crown you, King of Paradise."
       He set the crown on Karayan's head.
       "As king, I find it is my sacred duty to hunt down those mercenaries that slaughtered my family! But there is another matter. We have become too lax. The other kingdoms and regions think we are weak. But we will show them! I have an answer to both problems!"
      Here he gestured to the shadows, where some people were coming in the gate. It was the members of the Old Religion, lead by Nimueh and the twins.
      They strutted in the castle, hundreds of them, Nimueh at the front, her blue eyes taking on an etheral light.
       "Long ago, we banished those of the Old Religion from our presence. But they are strong where we are weak. Together, with their help, we shall be strong again! The old and new! The strong and weak! Together, we are unstoppable! And together, we shall avenge those we've lost! Stick with me and we shall have it all!"
To be continued...