𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈. 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞

The sky was black when Arice woke up from her nap. Dizzy and still tired, she got up, walking slowly to the bathroom.

But right when she reached the doorknob, the chamber's door slammed open to reveal an angry Japeth covered in blood.
She fully woke up in that moment, running towards Japeth.
"What happened?" asked she worried.
 
But Japeth didn't say anything. He pushed the girl away, then walked angry and started kicking the furniture.
"My stupid brother!" he said kicking the bed with his foot, while tears of anger filled his eyes.
"he thought he was better than me! Mother loved him more! He thinks she left because of me!"
"Japeth, calm down"
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN?"

Scims fled in every direction.
Arice dodged them, covering her womb with both of her arms. This happened before. Her head started to spin, as she sat on the floor, waiting for Japeth to calm down.

And Japeth saw it. He saw how Arice tried to defend his scims. He saw the fear in her eyes. He saw how she protected her stomach.
Arice saw Japeth as a threat for herself. As a threat for the child in her womb. And it was true. Japeth accepted it. He was a threat, even for Arice. If it wasn't for his wizard power, Arice would have been already dead by now.
   When he saw all of this, he calmed down. The anger in his eyes left, his scims came back to him and he got to Arice, while his hand was gently moving on her hair. "I'm sorry" he desperated said.
"i told you not to make promises you can't keep"
Japeth didn't answer. Shame was in his eyes.
He held Arice close to his chest.
"you'll never be unhappy again" the words left his mounth so bold.
  Arice smiled.
"we won't be unhappy"
  But their happiness didn't last long.
When Japeth gazed out the window, he saw a carriage.
He looked at it disappointed.
"your sister is here"
Silence.
"already?" she asked sad.
"Arice"
He started.
"I will come back. I will come back as i did once before. I will come back even if I have to kill for it"
There was no doubt in his words.
"Let's go" he said while getting up.

Then they walked down the stairs. Arice already knew the whole castle. But this time was different.
Like she knew she isn't going to return, regardless of what Japeth was saying.
That was her.
Always deniying.

                       ***
Outside the air was cold and the sky. From the castle two figures left, coming closer to the carriage.
There was a blonde girl, with an old camera, taking pictures all over.
But she suddenly stopped, looking at the two persons who were near.
 
Alice looked at her sister with big eyes.
She was prettier than she remembered.
And she was holding the arm of a man. A man Alice recognized. King Rhian's brother.
  Japeth stopped, as Arice came closer to her sister and hugged her.
"oh dear!" her sister said.
"what are you doing with that?" Arice asked pointing to the camera.
"oh? I'm taking photos! Dear this is Camelot! Who knows when I'll come back!"

"hopefully never" Japeth said under his breath.

"wait, sit here!"Alice told Arice.

She took her camera again and clicked the buton again. She took a photo of Arice and Japeth.
Arice had a small smile ,while Japeth didn't change his expresion. He still had his cold and disgusted look on his face.

" Let's go" Alice said while dragging her sister's hand.
But Arice didn't move. She was looking at Japeth.
She let Alice's hand while going to hug Japeth.
"i said i'll come back" he whispered in her ear.
He kissed Arice's cheek, but then she aimed for his lips.
"go" he said soft.
"and you" his voice was sober again, talking to Alice.
  Her spine shivered.
"be a responsible sister"
A pause.
"and aunt"

Alice understood what he meant just ten minutes later, in the carriage.
"WAIT!" she exclaimed. "was he for real? You... He...you have his child?"
Arice only nodded, gazing out the window.
"Let me get this straight" then she started whispering "You are pregnant with King Arthur's son's kid. with king Arthur's grandchild and king Rhian's niece/nephew"

Again, Arice only nodded.
"and mother said you'll never be someone important. She's going to be so proud!" Alice was all smiles.
But then her smile faded.
"no"
"what?"
"I don't want anybody to know this" she sighted "I only want peace"
"I understand"
Then Alice continued asking stupid questions.
"Did you thought of a name? Will you return to Camelot? Does King Rhian knows about all of this?"

"king my ass" Arice whispered to herself.

The house they arrived at was perfect. It had two levels. They all were five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and under the stairs was a library.
William was there when they arrived.
In the end, him and Alice actually got along very well.
They were lovers.
He already saw the house. Arice walked with her sister in, seeing the rooms.
"It was like this when i came" William said.
Everything was how Arice liked it. Simple.
She liked the house. Japeth knew what he was doing. Even if she'd never been here before, Arice already felt like home.
From now on, this was her home.
Far away from her brother, Leon.
Far away from her parents, Andrei and Lavinia
Far away from Camelot.
Just her, her sister, and her sister's annoying boyfriend.

Then Arice walked into the last bedroom.
And when she opened it, every doubt she had was gone.
It was a bedroom with green walls and dark furniture.
The ceiling was painted black, with stars and clouds on it, meant to look like a night sky.
The courtains were green too, on the floor was a grey carpet, and instead of a bed, in the corner of the room was a crib. A crib with a canopy, which also looked like a night sky.
And in the crib, was a small box.
And in the box, a ring.
A black ring with blood Red rubies.
And a note.
"his name is Anubis"
Who? Arice thought.
A scim crawled on her hand.
"Well hi there, anubis"