A/N—Anybody who guessed B or C in my question for the previous chapter was sadly wrong...It was A.) Japeth gets beat up. Sorry! 🥺
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~JAPETH'S POV~
Japeth had never felt so wounded. He stared blankly at his reflection in the full length mirror as he sat down hard on the king sized bed.
His left eye was blackened and sore. His lips were gashed and there was a throbbing pain in his side. In fact, everywhere seemed to hurt.
Japeth stared down at his scaled armor. Many of his scims had died and now patches of snowy white skin were visible.
Japeth wanted nothing more but to lash out at Rhian who was to blame for Japeth's very condition now. Hopefully, the prophecy was correct and Sophie's magical blood could heal him.
Japeth swung away from the mirror to look at the leather bag sitting on the bed behind him. He reached out to pick it up. From the bag, he procured the tattered blanket he'd brought with him from Foxwood.
Japeth buried his nose into the blanket's torn fabric to inhale its fading scent of blueberries and sweat. Somewhere beneath that smell, Japeth knew Aric's scent was somewhere there. For a moment, Japeth felt relieved at the memory of his long lost friend rather than anguished.
But than Japeth's Scims picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the hall before the bedroom door creaked open.
"Forgive me, brother," Rhian's voice was thick with regret as he stepped into the room without knocking.
Japeth shoved the blanket under the bed before Rhian could see what he was holding and straightened, turning to face his twin.
"It was all part of your dumb plan," Japeth reassured Rhian. "There's nothing to forgive."
Despite Japeth's reassurances, Rhian's expression still conveyed a look of shame. He stepped towards Japeth tentatively as if he feared Japeth would lash out at him. But Japeth didn't attack him even as his mind screamed at him to do so.
Although Rhian was the reason why Japeth's body was as broken and as torn as his heart was now, Japeth didn't despise him for that.
After all, without Rhian's stupid plan, the two brothers wouldn't be in Camelot now with Excalibur gleaming at Rhian's hip. But Rhian would've never pulled Excalibur without Japeth, for it was Japeth who'd snuck a piece of bloodied cloth beneath Rhian's shirt before all this started—A piece of cloth coated in Chaddick's, the true heir of Camelot's, blood.
"Well..." Rhian began, scratching the top of his skull like he didn't know what to say next. "I suppose we should go address the people?"
Japeth didn't respond at first. He winced as he stepped forward, so close to his brother that he could make out the scar etched into the top of Rhian's skull. He tried not to let his gaze linger over it and in an attempt to distract himself, Japeth's foot caught on the rug lying beneath him and he stumbled.
Rhian was quick to catch Japeth, his arms extended. Japeth struggled to steady himself as Rhian grabbed his shoulders to stand him back up.
"You need to sit back down," Rhian said gently. "You can barely stand with your wounds."
Japeth inhaled sharply as he straightened himself. Giving Rhian a soft look, Japeth pulled his brother close, and his hands found their way up Rhian's back as he searched for something.
"Rhian?" Japeth whispered, resting his chin on Rhian's shoulder so his brother wouldn't see his prodding gaze. "I...I love you."
For a moment, Rhian stiffened like he'd been struck a fatal blow. Than, slowly, he gently hugged Japeth back.
"I love you too, Japeth," Rhian replied, his voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't have done this without you, brother."
Japeth resisted the urge to shove that statement back in Rhian's face as his fingers trailed beneath the back of Rhian's jacket where he'd hidden the cloth stained with Chaddick's blood.
Rhian didn't suspect a thing as Japeth finally pulled the cloth out behind Rhian's back and sneakily stepped on it to conceal it beneath his scaled foot.
"You were right, brother," Japeth told Rhian, pulling away to meet his brother's gaze. "Taking over Camelot wasn't a one person job after all..."
~ • ~ • ~
Hours before, Japeth watched the sun set below the treetops. As darkness fell over the endless woods, Japeth headed for Camelot.
Japeth had received Rhian's note after he learned the news from the pirates that Rhian had boarded the heroes' ship and was on his way to Camelot with Tedros and the others.
"Yer brother's mate left'a bag o' gold for our troubles!" One of the pirates with a hook for a hand, Thiago, informed Japeth. "Handsome lad with dark eyes, that one."
"Kei is far from handsome," Japeth sneered. "And you are just a paid mercenary. All of you are. By my brother's note, we shall invade Camelot by midnight and if you want your weight in gold, I insist you follow my orders."
Thiago scowled, flashing his hook, but said nothing. The other pirates just nodded quickly at the icy glare Japeth sent all of them.
With the pirates in check, Japeth sent them off to sneak into Camelot before his attack loomed.
The morning after Japeth's escape from the Nottingham jail, Japeth packed up him and Rhian's few belongings and left camp to begin his journey to Camelot.
The sky was darkening for the most part and the sunlight was close to fading. Japeth was traveling alone to Camelot, but he didn't mind the silence. Somehow, the sky reminded Japeth of the very day Aric was banished from Arbed.
Japeth wanted nothing more but to turn back around and head back to Foxwood. He considered going to Arbed House again and starting over, but he couldn't start over now. Not without Aric.
Japeth had to move forward just as he had been for the past forty-three days now. He had to move forward for Aric.
Going to Camelot now to attack it was all a part of Japeth's plan to get Aric back. He couldn't go back now when Camelot was so close to becoming seized in him and Rhian's grasp.
Japeth felt his fingers curl right around the piece of bloodied cloth that'd come from Chaddick's dead body. It was the key to tricking Excalibur into believing that Rhian was the heir to Camelot, so than Rhian could free the famous sword. That was the only way Rhian would ever become king of Camelot in the first place.
Stuffing the cloth away in his bag, Japeth carried on, weaving between trees. Through the eyeholes in his scaled mask, he kept an eye upon the empty road a few feet away.
If Rhian were here now, he'd tell Japeth to be cautious and refrain from taking the main path as to not be seen by people. But Japeth was alone because his brother was taking some boat ride with a bunch of snobby heroes. So Japeth threw caution aside and took the main path.
As Japeth continued along on the deserted path, his thoughts wandered to the note Rhian had sent him mere hours ago.
When Japeth attacked Camelot, the heroes would expect for him to pick a fight with Tedros. But with Japeth and Rhian's luck, Tedros would want to fight Japeth one on one.
Weeks before this fateful day, Japeth and Rhian had discussed the scenarios of what might occur when they eventually did seize Camelot for themselves. The most predictable thing was Tedros wanting to reclaim his pride by fighting Japeth.
"So you're saying if Tedros and I get in a fight, I get to beat the heck out of him?" Japeth had asked his brother during said discussion.
"If we want the people to truly see me as their hero, I must be the one to slay the Snake," Rhian told him. "If it comes to a fight between the two of you, let him beat you, Japeth."
Japeth had asked Rhian why he'd ever want Tedros to beat him, but Rhian had only given Japeth a deep look that told Japeth to just listen to him.
All Japeth could do was trust Rhian. Lately though, it felt like Japeth was putting too much trust into his brother. Besides, he trusted Rhian to play his side of the plan well, and to top it all off, Japeth trusted Rhian to keep his word about bringing his true love back from the dead.
But Japeth had to have faith in Rhian, because without Rhian's promise of bringing Aric back, there was no hope. Of course, Rhian had no clue that it was Aric who he wanted back and not their mother.
Deep down, Japeth knew Rhian hated Aric. Rhian had been very hurt by Aric after all, and if Japeth were to even suggest Aric come back, Rhian probably wouldn't take it well.
Japeth couldn't bring himself to utter a word of Aric's death to Rhian. If he did, he was sure Rhian would show no sympathy whatsoever. In fact, Rhian would most likely show relief.
Japeth didn't know if Rhian was even aware Aric had died. Yet, Rhian must've seen Japeth's change in behavior at the time of Aric's demise. Rhian probably associated Japeth's change in behavior to their mother's death though. Whatever the case was, Japeth thought it best if he suffered through his grief alone.
The fading sunlight lit Japeth's path as he drew closer to his destination. By now, Japeth was sure Rhian was with Tedros and the other heroes, making battle plans to defend Camelot.
Luckily, Japeth and Rhian had an inside man that would help Japeth break through Camelot's defenses. As much as Japeth saw Kei as an emotionless good for nothing guy, it was Kei who'd freed him from Rafal's magical sack and from the Sheriff of Nottingham's jail. Perhaps, despite his flaws, Kei was still an important part in Japeth and Rhian's plans.
The sky grew darker and darker as the hours dragged on and Japeth hurried down the pathway. It wasn't midnight just yet, but in another hour or so, the Snake would attack Camelot.
When Japeth did manage to stumble past the Camelot border, he found hundreds of bodies crammed at the gates of the courtyard, awaiting to be let in. Many of the people were from various kingdoms like BloodBrook, Foxwood, and Pasha Dunes. They all waved golden banners sporting signs giving praise to the Lion, their supposed hero. Others carried swords and fitted armor into place as they prepared for the inevitable battle soon to come.
Japeth stuck close to the shadows this time as he observed the many volunteers awaiting for the king of Camelot to come out and address all of them.
As the moon arose in the starry sky, the crowd of makeshift soldiers moved towards the stage near the castle where a person had emerged from behind the curtains.
The person was a tall muscular boy who adorned the mask of a lion, Rhian's mask to be exact. But even as the crowd chanted Rhian's name, Japeth was not fooled for a second. He could identify his other half anywhere, and this masked boy was definitely not his twin.
Japeth's suspiciousness were confirmed when the boy slipped his mask off to reveal Tedros. From his hiding place, Japeth watched Tedros exchange a few words with a person hidden behind the curtain before the person emerged.
There Japeth's other half was with his dewy skin and golden armor. Rhian took the reins from Tedros, as if speaking on the king's behalf and defending Tedros's terrible speech. But Japeth knew Rhian only spoke for himself.
Rhian's speech had had a desired effect. The crowd cheered his name over and over again, casting Tedros in shadow.
Japeth should've felt proud of Rhian for playing his part so well. But he only felt resentful as he continued to play the waiting game.
Eventually, after another hour of observing Tedros's allies beginning to fall into their positions outside the castle, Japeth slunk out of his hiding spot to circle around the perimeter of the courtyard.
Midnight was finally here. At last, the Snake could strike, and strike Japeth did, his knife sharp scims shooting from the darkness to spear into the hearts of soldiers.
Cries of pain and terror filled the night air as carnage unfolded before Japeth's very eyes. His scims attacked people ruthlessly, stabbing people every which way even as people struggled to defend themselves.
The smell of blood was thick in the air, wafting through Japeth's nostrils. The smell of burnt flesh accompanied it though as some people managed to light scims on fire.
Japeth scanned the chaotic courtyard where dozens of people were running for their lives, their screams echoing in his ears. He leapt from the cover of shadows, stepping over dead bodies that littered the ground.
At first, Japeth feared he wouldn't be able to find who he was looking for. Than, he saw the prince, accompanied by the blonde witch, the black haired princess, and Rhian.
Tedros's face was screwed up in rage as he lit scims ablaze. Sophie was stabbing any scim who got too close and Agatha was beside her, hacking scims in half with her axe. Rhian was too busy kicking scims away to see his brother just a few feet away.
Part of Japeth wanted to call out Rhian's name to get his attention. But if he did that, Rhian would surely look up. Japeth's brother would see the hidden resentment deep within Japeth's black hole of a heart. And if Rhian saw that Japeth still resented him for what happened back at Arbed, he knew his chances of ever getting Aric back would be very slim.
Right now though, Japeth was no longer Japeth. Japeth was no longer Rhian's brother. He was the Snake. Japeth was the heartless monster and Rhian was the hero who would slay him.
As scims dove at people, slashing and screeching madly, Japeth walked through the smoke billowing from the fires that combusted his scims. He wanted nothing more but to sink a knife sharp scim deep into Tedros's heart right Than and there, to slit Agatha's throat and kill everyone in his path, but that was just the monster in him rearing its head.
If Japeth truly desired to be with Aric again, he would refrain from killing Tedros. If Japeth loved Aric, he would make sure to stick to Rhian's idea of the snake and Tedros fighting one on one.
Japeth did love Aric, and so he restrained himself from doing anything that would put him and Rhian's plans in jeopardy. Instead, Japeth drew forward, slinking towards Rhian and the heroes.
Tedros caught sight of the Snake first, and his jaw clenched. Agatha and Sophie saw him Than too and they both looked tense.
"I'd hope to run into you sooner, but I was a little too busy having some fun, as you can tell..." Japeth said, his tone menacing. His blue gaze sliced into the heroes through his mask as soldiers' cries continued to ring through the air.
"This ends now," Tedros snarled, rushing at Japeth with his sword drawn. Before Tedros's blade could touch him, four of Japeth's Scims peeled off his suit to pin Tedros's arms to his sides and Tedros's sword clattered to the ground.
"Thisss is not the end," Japeth informed Tedros, glaring into the prince's eyes. "This is the beginning of the end. Your end, to be exact. Once I kill you, Camelot will be mine and nothing will stop me from sitting on the throne."
Tedros's arms strained as he struggled to rip free from his restraints, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"They'll never follow a murderer who killed his 'brother' unjustly!" Tedros pointed out, his face hardened in intent.
Japeth stared at Tedros, slinking towards him to stroke a scaled finger down his sweaty cheek. Tedros cringed away from him, and out of the corner of his eye, Japeth saw two bodies lung forward.
Quick as a flash, two scims wrapped tight around Sophie and Agatha's throats as the two friends attempted to save Tedros. Another two scims turned knife sharp to point at Rhian just for show.
"Don't hurt them!" Tedros cried, watching Agatha strangle for breath. "It's me you want! Fight me!"
Japeth pretended to contemplate Tedros's words for a moment before a cruel smile found its way on his face.
"Just you and I," Japeth said, and the scims restraining Tedros loosened, freeing the prince's arms.
"No magic," Tedros growled before he curled his hands into fists. "Although I'm sure you won't fight fair...Winner gets the crown."
"For such a dimwit the Storian writes you out to be," Japeth mused, "You do have a brain in that pretty little head of yours after all. For you're absolutely correct when you suspect I won't fight fair, because I won't."
Tedros curled his lip in a snarl, his expression angry as he began to move, and as he did, Japeth followed his footsteps until both boys were circling each other like hungry sharks.
"Witches, mark it!" Tedros ordered and Japeth's gaze shifted down to see three small bodies flicking oil onto the ground. Than, a demon tattooed witch lit a spark which in turn lit a ring of fire that closed Japeth and Tedros in.
"Tedros," Agatha pleaded as the two scims squeezing her and Sophie's throats released their hold. "Don't do this! You said it yourself—the Snake won't fight fair. He'll kill you!"
Japeth's head jerked towards Agatha and he laughed, a cruel laugh that ebbed from his throat.
"That's the point, Princess," Japeth hissed, before he turned his attention back to Tedros. "This is a fight to the death. Let's hope your 'precious' Tedrosss is strong enough to beat me."
Agatha opened her mouth to protest, but Sophie had grabbed her arm and whispered to her anxiously.
Japeth kept an eye upon Tedros. Tedros's stance was tense, his fists raised as he stared back at the Snake with distaste.
Japeth struck first, thrusting out his leg to kick Tedros in the stomach. But Tedros jumped away before the kick could land.
With both boys circling each other, it seemed anyone could attack first. Japeth's suit of scims rippled and Tedros flung off his sweaty shirt to reveal his toned chest.
"You can't protect anyone," Japeth taunted his opponent, his gaze twinkling darkly. "You couldn't protect Chaddick, Millicent, Lancelot...All those deaths—their blood stains your hands as much as it does mine. Because you're a failure. You failed to keep the woods safe from me. You even failed to be a son, and most of all you failed at being the king Camelot deserves."
Japeth knew his words would strike a blow to Tedros's heart. For a second, Tedros stilled and in the firelight, Japeth thought he saw tears glistening in the prince's eyes.
"Failure," Japeth repeated, glowering. "You'll lose everyone close to you because you'll be too weak to fight for them. Everyone you love will die—"
Suddenly, Tedros was in Japeth's face and Japeth's voice was cut short.
In that split instant, Tedros's fingers gnarled into a fist and than his fist came down, pummeling Japeth hard. Pain flared across Japeth's face and for a moment, he felt his head throb as if he was coming down with a spearing headache.
Japeth resisted the urge to attack Tedros. To show this rotten blonde prince that he wasn't to be messed with. Tedros was not in control. Japeth was.
But Japeth had to endure blow after blow until his face was battered and his body was just as broken as his heart. He tasted blood in his mouth and stared up into Tedros's enraged face as punch after punch continued to rain down upon him.
If Aric was in Japeth's place, he would've fought back. He would've taught Tedros a lesson Tedros wouldn't soon forget, but Aric was dead.
Japeth had to remind himself over and over again that he was in control. He could've fought back if he wanted to. The only reason he was lying there allowing himself to get beat up was because he was playing along with Rhian's dumb plan.
So as Tedros threatened to knock the daylights out of him, Japeth forced himself to lie still. His gaze trailed past Tedros's angry face to the ring of flames blocking the two fighters in. Past the flames though, Japeth glimpsed his brother standing there, holding Agatha back as the black haired princess struggled to reach her prince.
Trust me, is what Rhian had told Japeth before all this. Trust me to save you when the time comes.
Could Japeth trust Rhian? Could he really bet his life on the one boy who'd had his best friend be banished not so long ago?
Japeth gritted his teeth as Tedros's knuckles impacted hard against his cheek and his head snapped to the side from the blow. A spigot of blood splattered across the ground and Japeth saw black spots cloud his vision.
Japeth couldn't take it anymore. Something ripped through him, a primal scream of rage tearing from his throat as he shoved his knee into Tedros's sternum, so hard that Tedros stumbled off him. The blonde prince landed hard on his burned back and Japeth took that opportunity to get to his feet, anger radiating off him in waves.
"Come on and fight me, little prince," Japeth sneered, spitting out a wad of blood. He eyed Tedros through his scaled mask, watching as the prince moved towards him, his body weak but his determination strong.
"I'm the king!" Tedros snapped, teeth bared. His blonde hair was covered in ash and there was a bruise marring his forehead, but Japeth knew he himself had to look worse than Tedros did.
"You're a fraud and nothing but," Tedros hackled, staggering towards Japeth. "If you had Arthur's blood, you'd be good. No snake can be my father's son. It's not possible which means you're an imposter."
"Lies," Japeth wheezed, his voice hoarse as if his vocal chords were tied in a knot. When he angled his body forward, a pinprick of pain stabbed at his chest and it took great effort for him to step forward. Japeth swore that if Rhian didn't help him when the time came, he'd make Rhian regret it.
"You're the sssnake," Japeth hissed, circling Tedros slowly like a shark cornering it's prey just before the kill. "A snake who doubts his place as king. A fraud who sits idly on his throne while kingdoms are attacked..." Japeth shoved his ragged face into Tedros's until the two boys' gazes were locked. "You're nothing."
Anger flashed in Tedros's gaze and he sprung, surprisingly fast despite his injuries, his hands outstretched, his fingers threatening to wrap tight around Japeth's throat.
But Japeth was ready for Tedros's attack. He retaliated, kicking out his leg to swipe Tedros's feet out from underneath him. Tedros fell but he immediately moved to attack Japeth again.
"Tedros!" Agatha screamed, the worry evident in her voice as Japeth and Tedros's chests slammed and their hands grasped desperately to scratch at each other's skin.
Tedros's hard chest was hot against Japeth's scales and the heat from the flames wasn't helping to cool Japeth down as he elbowed Tedros in the face while Tedros kneed him in the groin. All Japeth knew was the raw pain and the burning hatred rooted deep in his soul as he fought Tedros.
Japeth didn't know whether his burning hatred came from his resentment towards Rhian and the fact that it was Rhian's fault he was in this situation now or if his anger emerged from the depths of his darkened heart. Anger at the fact Aric was dead. Anger at the grief he could never seem to escape from.
Whatever the source of his anger was, it fueled Japeth with fire. Fire as scorching hot as the flames that made up the circle surrounding him and Tedros. Japeth's blood was boiling a thousand degrees as he tore at Tedros, digging his fingernails deep into Tedros's hair to yank the prince's head back. With Tedros's throat exposed to the night air, a knife sharp scim slashed for his neck.
"Tedros!" Agatha cried again, more desperate than before.
Tedros wrenched away before the scim could do any real damage, tucking his head forward to protect his throat. The scim flew at him, its screech resounding through Japeth's skull. But Tedros narrowly avoided the scim's knife sharp tip and skidded towards Japeth, slamming his shoulder so hard into him that it sent both boys hurtling to the ground.
Japeth's head snapped roughly against the ground and his jaw burned. He coughed and a tooth came loose in his mouth, falling off his tongue.
Through the ringing in his skull, Japeth's ears picked up the sound of a voice. For a moment, he raised his bleary gaze to the ring of fire and glimpsed the shadow of a boy standing beyond the flames.
"Aric..." Japeth choked, and his hand extended forward as if he believed he could reach through the fire and touch his long lost friend.
Than, the voice came again, clearer now as the ringing in Japeth's skull ceased to exist. His gaze flickered to the side to see Agatha saying something to Rhian, her concern replaced with conviction.
"Help him," Japeth heard her order his brother. "As your queen, I command you to help your king...Please."
Japeth didn't hear Rhian's response because hands had grabbed him, throwing him away. Japeth's elbow scraped against the ground and he raised his head to stare into Tedros's reddened face. Japeth focused his attention past Tedros, back at the spot he thought he'd seen Aric, but the shadow was gone as if it'd been nothing but a dream.
Japeth's gaze snapped back to Tedros who was limping towards him. At times, the Camelot Prince stumbled, obviously injured by his many wounds. Tedros even attempted to raise his fists to land Japeth a punch, but his arms dropped down as if his entire body was worn.
"Come and get me, brother," Japeth taunted, falling back into his role as the Snake. He flicked his tongue from his mouth, drawing it across his gashed lips.
Tedros tried to move towards Japeth again, but his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed to his knees. Japeth would've taken that opportunity to attack Tedros, but his body was just as worn as Tedros's was and he too, felt the tiredness sink into his bones.
"Come fight me..." Japeth rasped even as his body weakened and he free fell to the ground. He raised his head to stare at Tedros. "Come on and kill your brother, you coward..."
But Tedros was too weak to get up, and both boys laid there, glaring at one another in a standoff that was already over.
Footsteps sounded against the ground, and a shape jumped over the dying flames into the ring of fire, his golden jacket gleaming. His green-blue gaze was set upon Japeth as if Tedros wasn't even there.
"Rhian...What are you—" Tedros began, his voice hoarse. His gaze suddenly widened as he watched his knight move steadily towards the Snake.
"By the Queen's orders, I sentence you to die," Rhian addressed Japeth in an authoritative tone.
As Rhian reached for Japeth, Tedros summoned all his strength, opening his mouth to cry out; "No! He's mine, Rhian. Don't—"
But Tedros lunged for them too late. Rhian's hands gripped tight onto Japeth's head and twisted. Japeth allowed his eyes to flutter close and forced his scims to still. His body lay motionless, but deep within, Japeth could still hear the slow thump of his heartbeat in his chest.
Japeth was still alive on the inside, but on the outside, his entire body lay broken, bleeding out on the cold ground. In his darkened mind, Japeth half wished for his heart to stop entirely. Part of him wished he could die right than and there.
There would be no more Rhian to resent. No more pain and anger to wallow in. No more missing Aric.
Perhaps, when Japeth was done bleeding out, there would be peace in the end. Everlasting peace.
But deep down, Rhian was still there and Japeth still resented him. Japeth still felt immense pain from the wounds Tedros had inflicted on him, and he still felt the anger brewing in his soul. Most of all, Japeth still missed Aric more than anything. His grief couldn't be warded off so easily and so the raven haired boy lingered deep in his mind.
"It's over," Rhian's voice whipped through the silence that followed. "The Snake is dead."
Now Japeth knew that was a lie. Because the Snake was still here like a shadow forever lingering over Japeth.
Japeth was still a monster and maybe, deep down, he always had been. The Snake and Japeth were one and the same. Despite the Snake's unjust cruelty, he was still broken inside.
Japeth hated what Aric's death had left him with. He hated what was left for him without his best friend.
Shame and guilt burned at Japeth's insides. He just couldn't let Aric go, because if he did, all he would have was Rhian. And as much as Japeth truly loved his brother, he hated the thought of spending the rest of his life alongside Rhian.
What Japeth hated most about this whole situation though wasn't the fact he was sore all over, nor was it the fact that it was Rhian who'd turned him into the Snake in the first place. What Japeth really hated most was the cause Rhian believed he was fighting for.
Rhian believed it was his birthright to sit on Camelot's throne and be its king. And because of that belief, Rhian had driven Japeth to act on his behalf, to do what he asked essentially. All the work was for both of the brothers' ultimate goal, of course. But to Japeth, Rhian's insistence that Japeth become a monster as of late had become a tedious commitment.
Japeth never wanted to be the a Snake in him and Rhian's plans. But here he was, a monster who the woods saw as nothing more but a threat.
Perhaps that would be Rhian's biggest mistake; turning Japeth into the Snake. Because the Snake was a heartless monster and perhaps, eventually, that Snake would push Rhian away. He would push Rhian away, not because he was the 'Lion' or because he was 'the enemy,' but because Rhian was the very reason the Snake had been born in the first place.
And perhaps, when Japeth was finished bleeding out, only the Snake would in his place. That's when Rhian would finally see that soon enough, he'd have nobody to turn to. Nobody to trust or love. Nobody by his side to attack kingdoms at his beck and call.
Lucky for Rhian, the Snake still had a bit of humanity in him. Hopefully, that shred of humanity would be enough for both brothers to bear.
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This chapter was SO fun to write! Sorry to all those Japeth fans out there who got to read about him getting beat up. 🥺
Comment your thoughts on this chapter and be sure to leave a vote! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!
—Alexis Peters ❤️