SGE His Darkened Heart (A Japaric Fanfiction)

BONUS CHAPTER #1

~An Unlikely Bond~

SHIP: JOPHIE (Japeth/Sophie)
SETTING: Takes place sometime after A Crystal of Time in the next book, The One True King in the throne room of Camelot.
SCENARIO: A scene between a newly wedded Japeth and Sophie in which Japeth confronts Sophie after he tries to bring Aric back and it doesn't work.
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Sophie felt paralyzed, unable to move a muscle as Japeth's scims wrapped about her body, squeezing tighter and tighter and snaking up her neck until she felt the breath slip from her lungs. All she could do was look up at the Snake looming over her crouched form with a wide, pleading gaze.

Japeth was looking at her with a lack of interest, his blue eyes void of any emotion whatsoever as if there wasn't a single shred of humanity left in him; No pleasure. No pain . . . Just a strange emptiness swirled in Japeth's icy blue eyes that made Sophie unnerved.

"Please," Sophie gasped for air as a slimy scim squeezed her throat in a vice like grip. Tears pricked Sophie's emerald eyes as she struggled to break free from her binds, hearing her pounding heart begin to slow to a stop.

"JAPETH!" Sophie cried one last time, desperation clawing at her throat. As she saw black spots cloud her vision, her last thought was of Aggie—the light in her darkness, her best friend.

What would Agatha do in this situation? What would—Oh Wait! That was It!

"Boys don't cry!" Sophie screamed with all the breath she had left and suddenly watched Japeth stiffen like a board before he turned to her, his gaze storming. Slowly, each scim upon Sophie receded until every last scim had peeled off her skin and flown back to their master.

Finally, Sophie was free huddled in a mess on the floor, her wedding dress coated in goo. But a ruined dress was the least of Sophie's worries.

Japeth crouched in front of her, eyes boring into her like he were trying to analyze her. Than, before Sophie could react, Japeth snatched her chin in his scaled hand and jerked her head forward till they were Nose to nose.

Sophie could feel Japeth's cold breath fanning her face and see the scales of his suit glinting in the candlelight of the throne room. Up close, Sophie could see for the first time that there were bags beneath Japeth's eyes and the skin he'd dyed tan to perfect his brother's golden glow had begun to fade to reveal little oddities of ashen skin; Japeth's true skin color.

The bejeweled crown nestled in Japeth's copper hair was slightly askew and the Scims making up his snakeskin suit rippled constantly as if Japeth was on the verge of insanity. Instead of looking like his now deceased twin, instead of having the persona of a golden king, Japeth looked to be in shambles. Although his face was impassive and blank, Sophie knew deep down that he was breaking inside.

But the emptiness on his face didn't ease Sophie's worries. She knew Japeth would strike again at any moment if she slipped up. That's why she had to think hard about this.

It was Aric who Japeth wanted. It was Aric he'd wanted back from the start, not Evelyn Sader. That's why he'd killed his own brother in the first place—because Rhian had refused to bring Aric back. It was obvious Japeth cared about Aric in some way and maybe by using Japeth's love for Aric, Sophie could appease Japeth's state.

"Aric," Sophie breathed, hope filling her when she realized Japeth wasn't going to kill her . At least not now. "He said that, didn't he? Don't you remember that? Don't you remember how you felt when you were with him. How content you must've been with your best friend by your side..." Sophie trailed off, remembering her own friend, Agatha. Agatha was the one person Sophie knew she could never be without. Maybe it was the same with Japeth. Maybe Aric was Sophie's Agatha for Japeth. Someone he wanted to be with no matter what. Somebody who made him truly, unconditionally happy.