Stronger than Blood

Japeth

For months, Evelyn travelled the Woods with Kay, always wondering where Rafal was. And despite what 'people' said, she had no romantic intentions towards Kay, and he none towards her. She was now heavily pregnant, and they had to stop more and more regularly. When they reached Nottingham, they decided to stay at an inn in Sherwood Forest. Evelyn was tempted to collapse into the nearest chair, but they had acquired enemies in the passing months. She and Kay made their way to the furthest table from the door, in the darkest corner. Kay ordered a beer, and Evelyn had nothing, for fear of harming the children growing inside her. When they had started to relax, Kay put on a serious face. "Evelyn" he said in a hushed voice. "Don't panic, but one of the people looking for us has just stepped through the door. Fortunately, he doesn't know our faces, only my name. So I'm changing it. For your safety, and mine. If he asks who I am, I'm going to tell him my name is Japeth, and that is the name I'm going to use from now on. You never met Sir Kay. You met Japeth, ok?" . Evelyn nodded. She felt a slight figure brush past her, quickly apologising. It was only a couple of words, but Evelyn recognised the voice instantly. Grisella. She watched the girl sit down at a table, alone. Suddenly, there was a huge commotion at the entrance. Robin Hood and his Merry Men came in, cheering and yelling. They carried a man on their shoulders. Evelyn didn't know who it was at first, but gasped when she realised it was Arthur Pendragon, newly appointed king of Camelot. Robin loudly made a joke about the three rings of marriage: the engagement ring, the wedding ring, and the suffering, and everyone laughed with him. Despite the chaos, Evelyn noticed Arthur join Grisella at her table. Curious, she discretely sent over one of her butterflies to eavesdrop. What she heard shocked her, but made her smile. Oh yes, she could use this information, and bring Camalot from the inside. She just needed to be patient. When she'd heard that Grisella had been spending time at the castle a few months earlier, she'd convinced Kay to let her visit an old friend. Grisella had welcomed her with open arms, making sure she had everything she needed. From close observation, Evelyn had realised that Arthur and the girl were closer than they were letting on. She'd managed to convince Grisella that she should be queen, be the one to bear Arthur's children. Evelyn had gone to unimaginable lengths to acquire a very dark item; a spansel. But that silly Gremlaine girl had ruined it with her childish innocence. Evelyn had a moment of panic, and thinking her plan was going to fail, she tried to use the spansel herself, but the guards had been alerted, so she'd fled. She'd cried herself to sleep that night, ashamed of nearly betraying Rafal. But no. She couldn't think about that now. That was in the past. She had to focus on her new plan. This one would work. It had to. She had too much riding on it's success for it to fail.