The Royal Scandal *Book Two*

Only Time Will Tell S2 E8

When I finally looked over at Arthur, I saw he had turned back around and had unsheathed his sword.

"If you choose not to defend yourself, I will strike you down where you stand," Arthur threatened him, taking slow, menacing steps towards him.

"You're my son. You will not strike an unarmed man," father said to Arthur before he looked over at me. "And as my daughter, I know that you won't allow your brother to become a murderer of an innocent man."

"You're right, I wouldn't let my brother kill an innocent man," I agreed, making them both turn to me in confusion, as I took a couple of steps forward. "But you are far from innocent. How dare you try to play the victim when you... are nothing... more than a tyrant."

Father's eyes widened before he turned back to Arthur.

"I no longer think of myself as your son," Arthur told him.

"Then strike me down," father challenged, thinking that Arthur wouldn't do it, but I knew different.

There was a long pause as Arthur stared at father, tears evident in his eyes, his hand tight on the hilt of his sword. But then, Arthur raised his sword and swung it at father, who, despite not expecting it, managed to raise his own sword in front of him as a defence.

"I don't want to fight you," father repeated, taking a few steps back.

Arthur twirled his sword in his hand, never taking his eyes off of father, as he copied father's steps, following him slowly like a lion stalking its prey. Arthur then, once again, went on for the attack. Considering I hadn't even thought to bring a weapon with me, I took a step back and watched Arthur fight our father.

But as I watched them duck, swing and hit one another, I felt a strong sense of sadness clouding over me as I thought back to everything our mother had said. I had very few memories of her, but I do know one thing for sure; my mother was the kindest, most gentle and forgiving person to ever walk this earth.

That wasn't my mother.

Something about everything she said sent a sense of doubt through my mind.

That wasn't Arthur's mother.

It was all simply an illusion. My mother was gone and no spell can properly resurrect the dead.

That wasn't our mother.

We wanted the truth and we got it, but how true was it really? How would Morgause have known that that was what we wanted the most? Why would she have challenged Arthur to a duel simply to give us something? She didn't care about loyalty or the fact that Arthur kept his word, she only cared that chaos would come to Camelot if either one of us killed the king. And as much as my father was an awful person and a hypocrite, I couldn't let my kingdom fall.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I saw Arthur had pushed father, who was now swordless, back into his chair and had a sword held against his throat. I knew then that I only had a second to make my decision. So before I could reconsider my decision, I picked up father's sword and pointed it at Arthur.

Both Arthur and father looked over at me in confusion as with shaking hands, I continued to point the sword at my own twin.

"What are you doing?" Arthur hissed at me.

"You can't kill him," I whispered, tightening my grip on the sword. "You're not a murderer."

"You said you wouldn't stop me. He isn't innocent. He killed our mother and our aunt," Arthur reminded me.

"And the worst punishment he can have is to live with the guilt of that," I said, lying through my teeth.

Arthur started at me in disbelief for a moment before the doors burst open to reveal Merlin and Leon, who both looked at the scene in front of them in confusion.