I stood outside Arthur's door, trying to calm my breath. This was going to be challenging, I knew. But the other option was having my death loom over me, and I couldn't have that. Plus, after all that I've learned about the Millers, I need to stop them.
I knocked on the door, and Arthur opened a moment after. I walked through before he could say anything, and closed the door behind me.
"What's going on Maria?" he asked as I sat down on a chair, and motioned him to sit on the bed. He did, with a very confused look on his face.
"I wanted to talk with you privately, is that all right?" I asked.
"Oh sure," Arthur said "Or we could do something more exciting than talking." he said with a wink.
I had to physically restrain myself from shuddering in horror. I mean, he was only 11 years old! But then I thought about all the weird, horrible things that the Miller's did, so I can't say I'm surprised.
"Actually, I have something very serious to talk about with you." I said. "It's about your parents."
Arthur's face shifted, and his eyes became dull. "What about them?" he asked quietly.
I paused for a moment, before saying "I know your parents sent you here to kill me."
"What!" he yelled, jumping up from the bed. "I-I-I would never do that!" He walked franticly around the room.
"Arthur, look me in the eye." I said calmly. He calmed down for a moment, but he still wouldn't look me in the eye, instead shifting his gaze everywhere but me.
"You don't have to lie, I know the truth. I know you plan to kill me later today when we're alone together in the secret passages."
He stayed silent, but finally stopped moving. "I also know that you don't want to do it, and that your parents are making you. But I don't how." I said.
Arthur continued staying silent for a while, and I was about to ask more when he said "You wouldn't understand. My parents- my parents are-they are impossible for me to fight against."
"I know that. They are much more sinister than they let on. I know about their experiments on the human body, and what it does to people. Have they done that to you too?"
He didn't say anything again, but I could hear him crying. I went over to him, and pulled him to sit down on the bed.
"You don't have to tell me if they did, I just wanted you to know that I'm there for you." I said quietly.
"I used to be normal." he said quietly. "My eyes used to have color in them, and I was supposed to have two types of magic. But they took it all away."
"Arthur, I didn't know."
"Nobody does, not even I know the full extent of their experiments. I do know that I was one of the lucky ones, some lost their eyesight and went blind, others were deformed in different ways, and some . . . some never made it."
We sat in silence for a moment, and I went over what he said. Just what were his parents doing. Mason told be a lot, but from what Arthur was saying it seemed to go deeper.
"We'll, then we need to stop that from happening. Let's go." I said standing up.
"Wha-we-we can't just stop them!" he said. "They have other noble houses working under them, they would never face repercussions for their actions!"
"How many noble houses work for them?" I asked.
"I don't know how many, but I do know that at least the Frost's were working with them."
"The Frosts, Blake's parents? They were involved?"
He nodded. "His father was, possibly his mother too. His father sold illegal chemicals to my parents. My parents found out that he was inflating the price, and I think they might've done something about.
"Are you implying that they were the ones who burnt down the Frost's manor, killing everyone but Blake.
"I think so, yes. But this is exactly why we can't stop them! If their willing to burn down inter buildings of innocent people, they could do so much worse! Especially to you!
"Why me? I know they wanted me to die, but why exactly?" I asked.
"Because they fear your power. It's very rare for someone to have three types of magic, and on of which is healing! They tried to get rid of you before, but when that failed, they sent me."
Arthur grabbed my hands, and said "I'm really sorry Maria, I really really am. I don't want to kill you, but if I don't my parents will do something much much worse."
A part of me felt like this was all a lie, that it was a trick to break down my guard and to kill me again. It didn't help that he had killed me yesterday.
But I looked into his creamed colored eyes, and they looked so . . . lost. So distressed and sad, so hopeless. I wonder what his real eye color was, and if they would tell a happier tale.
"It's okay Arthur, it really is. I forgive you. But I will still try to stop your parents, and I need your help in doing so." I pleaded.
He nodded, but still looked unsure. "I don't think we can stop them."
"Maybe we can't stop them, but surly the King could, we'll just tell Jack to tell his dad." I said, getting up.
"Common." I called out. "You can come out now."
The painting on the wall slide away, and out stepped Mason. "Well that certainly took long enough." he said in his usual snarky tone.
Arthur looked back and forth between us, then exclaimed "You were there the whole time!"
Mason nodded. "Yes, Lady Maria wanted another witness to hear about the information you had on your parents"
Arthur looked at me with a hurt expression on his face, but I quickly tried to solve it.
"I'm sorry for not telling you. But I knew you were trying to kill me later, and I was scarred. Plus, Mason already knows about some of the horrors done by your parents, in fact he was the one to tell me."
Arthur looked at Mason, who just nodded.
"I know that you both have had a rocky relationship with each other, but you need to put that aside for now. We have a greater goal of exposing the Miller's, and I need you both to do so." I said, taking both of their hands.
"I also know that you both don't want to harm to come my way, and that you are willing to protect me. So please don't argue."
Mason was the first to speak. "While I still would be hesitant to befriend him, it would be detrimental to our plans, and to you, if we fought. So I shall not do so."
"Neither will I." Arthur said. "We need to all stay in this together if we want to stop my parents."
"Good." I said, giving both their hands a squeeze before letting go. "Then let's go talk to Jack."
I lead the two down the halls to the dining room, where Jack and Blake were waiting. Before one could ask where we have been, I told them everything.
Blake was the most shocked, especially at the part about the his family, and the true origins of his manor's fire.
Jake struggled to not throw up as Mason went into the details of the Miller's secret life. But he managed to pull through, and immediately got to action.
"We're heading to the castle. Corruption on this scale must be brought to my father immediately, let's go."