The Royal Scandal *Book Two*

Sneaking Out S2 E8

The day before Arthur and I were supposed to go to Morgause, we decided it would be the best time to inform our father of the challenge. I had little to no hope that this was going to go well and as Arthur and I stood in front of him, watching him write something on some parchment, I knew that this was going to be far from a good outcome.

"What is to be the nature of this challenge?" father asked, glancing up from his parchment.

"She didn't say, but both Chelsea and I gave her our word that we would accept it no matter what," Arthur replied calmly.

"You should never have made such a promise, either of you," father said. "You have no idea what she might ask of you."

"She had her sword to Arthur's chest. We had no choice," I reminded him through gritted teeth. "Morgause said that she knew our mother."

"She told you this?" father asked, finally looking fully up from his writing. Arthur nodded beside me, making father rise from his seat. "Obviously, she's lying. She's playing on your affections for your mother to lure you into a trap."

"That makes no sense. She spared my life and I feel that if Chelsea had been in my situation, Morgause would have spared her too," Arthur said.

"It confirms my suspicions. I believe Morgause to be an Enchantress. How else could she have defeated you? And clearly she was going easy on Chelsea, there's no other way you could have won," father said, making me raise an eyebrow and scoff.

"I don't believe she was using magic and after fighting her myself, I could see that she was not going easy on Chelsea. You just underestimate her abilities," Arthur countered, making me smile to myself.

"How would you know if she was using magic?" father asked. "Under no circumstances will you go to meet her or accept this challenge."

"We gave her our word!" I reminded him.

"I don't care what was said to her. You will remain in Camelot," father ordered.

"I want to hear what she knows about our mother," Arthur argued back.

"She knows nothing. She's lying. You will not go to her. I forbid it," father insisted.

"So, we are to break our word," Arthur commented sarcastically.

"Escort my son and daughter to their chambers," father ordered the guards, making me laugh humourlessly. "Under no circumstances will they be allowed to leave."

"You're confining us to our chambers?" I asked.

"I'm protecting you from your own foolishness!" father yelled.

"Fine, we shall do as you say," Arthur said, but before I could protest, he linked our arms together. "But we will both go to my chambers. I am not being confined in my room alone, I might lose my mind and if I am insane I shan't be a good warrior."

Not waiting for an answer, Arthur practically dragged us out of the room, his head held high. When we eventually got to Arthur's chambers, I watched as two guards positioned themselves outside of the door.

Groaning to myself, I collapsed onto my back on Arthur's bed, staring up at the ceiling. While I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, Arthur had taken up his window seat, watching as the sun reached its peak in the sky.

After about twenty minutes of silence, I noticed Arthur picking at the wall with a letter opener so I decided to try and lighten the mood. Subtly, I grabbed one of Arthur's pillows. Making sure he hadn't seen, I then pulled my arm back and flung the pillow at him, hitting him square in the face.