~Japeth's POV~
News of the King's so called "princess" returning loyally to Camelot was indeed being rumoured so fast, Japeth didn't even have time to breathe.
Of course, he already knew the dirty tricks that witch was capable to have up her sleeve, and use them against Rhian when the time was right. It was no use to warn his brother upon that minx's arrival anyway. He tried to lecture Rhian into believing him before Sophie had left to rebel with Tedros and Agatha, but he had refused to listen.
Love was making the king blind, and Japeth didn't know what to do.
Although, he couldn't really blame Rhian for it. He had done worse things for someone whom he believed was his true love. Just thinking about Aric made Japeth's heart ache. He missed him so deeply, words couldn't explain how much he did.
It was a matter of time for Rhian and Sophie to be wed anyways. Besides, his brother had promised to bring Aric back from the dead as soon as he burnt the last ring. Japeth would propose the wedding right then if he could, just so he could see Aric's brilliant, wonderful face again.
Everywhere Japeth went, it was as if his lethal violet eyes and spiky raven hair were haunting him, trapping themselves in his mind around every corner. He wouldn't ever forget about his best friend, perhaps his love, if it meant he had to go to the ends of the Woods. Neither could Rhian, as much as he had tried.
Japeth still remembered the day Aric was voted to be banished from Arbed House, and yet, he still blamed his twin for it. He had every right too.
Rhian knew full well every other student that was accommodated in the school would have voted Aric to be thrown away like rubbish if he had done the same. And yet, he had the audacity to try and remove Aric from Japeth's mind right after he had left.
It was no use, Japeth didn't let him. His appearance was like a tattoo that was engraved in his mind, and Japeth could never forfeit.
A voice erupted him from his thoughts, and he angled his head down towards the hall to respond to the owner of the voice. Or rather, voices.
He glanced up to fully look at Rhian and Kei speaking in a rushed form of conversation, the captain's brows furrowed in aggression. Japeth's own flew up towards his hairline as a response, and the king stopped his sprinted-walk as soon as he spotted his twin.
"Someone care to tell me what the hell is going on?" Japeth asked, voice low in a threatening manner, although, there was no sort of threat justified in his words.
Kei glanced at Rhian, then glared at the Snake. "Rhian has agreed to let Sophie stay here without even talking, or better yet, looking at her," he explained, face reddening in utter rage.
Japeth arched a brow, ice-blue eyes poking around between the two in front of him, then back at Kei, glowering at him. "Define 'stay.'"
The captain didn't even glance at Rhian's direction this time, ignoring the king's groan. "'Stay', meaning advising us to reassure her to be his queen without even examining to see who she remains loyal to"-
"If she wasn't loyal to me, why on earth would she have returned to Camelot?"
Japeth realised that that was the first time Rhian had uttered a single word since he first saw him approach him.
Kei swiveled to the Lion, obvious anger shimmering in his hazel eyes. "Suppose your beloved queen was at it trying to forge a plan to stab you in the back, quite literally, and then escape the castle just to go back to her dear 'Aggie', in her chambers, at this very moment?"
Rhian was about to argue back, but Japeth cut through his sentence, teeth gnarled. "You gave that demon her very own private chambers?" He bolt back, voice echoing an octave higher, careful not to raise it too loud to gain attention from the maids and knights around them.
His brother raised his fingers and sifted them across his copper-shaded hair, despite it being closely-shorn. "What was I supposed to do? Let her sleep in the dungeons?"
Kei threw up his arms in complete mayhem. "For the time being until you make sure she's loyal, yes!"
"Kei, I need to have a word with my brother," Japeth stated calmly. In fact, too calmly, it made Kei shift in discomfort. Given that he hadn't taken his leave, Japeth clenched his fists together and narrowed his sky-blue eyes, brows lowering towards them. "Privately".
Given the warning in his statement, Kei finally left.
Japeth turned his glare towards his twin, grimacing in anger. "As much as you know how much I despise Kei, you and I both know he's right, especially you," he snarled, pointing a finger at Rhian.
The king rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "I know what I'm doing, Japeth. I don't need you to lecture me into your ideas-"
"And yet, you wondered why I never listened to you when you tried to erase Aric from my memories," Japeth growled back, watching Rhian flinch at the name, as if it brought him further anger than he could imagine. "You know, by lecturing me?"
Rhian sighed, giving into his words. "I'm not saying I disagree with you. I just need you to trust me, brother, and see what I mean when I tell you I know she's loyal-"
"And I need you to trust me, "brother", that the little minx will never, and mark by words, ever be loyal to you as long as her best friends exist."
Japeth stepped closer to Rhian, enough to softly be able to whisper in his ear. "Love is making you blind, my dear twin, the same way it had turned its effects on me, once upon a time." He leaned even closer. "But I learnt how to get through it, which I strongly advise you do the same." A white lie, and Japeth knew it. He just hoped Rhian didn't.
And with that, he dismissed himself away from the Lion, and strolled further behind Rhian, walking towards his own chambers. He couldn't bare the thought to think that one day, his brother might take Sophie's word over Japeth's own.
He sighed heavily as he opened the double-doored entrance to his room, and collapsed on the bed, regardless of his clothes.
Unfortunately, Rhian already was.
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A/N
Like I said, I was going to publish another chapter after receiving 5-10 views, which, (THANK YOU), really did happen 😁
Soooo, what did you guys think about this chapter?
I've really been thinking about updating once, twice, or maybe more every week. It really depends on how busy I am, and you guys 😅
Anyways, if you guys have any sort of idea's or suggestions for the next couple chapters, feel free to comment! :))
Have a great day/afternoon/evening/night!
-Eva
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The lion and the witch
FanfictionA lion and witch's relationship shatters into pieces after one shares a shocking secret. A twin brother, waiting eagerly for his other half to bring his true love back from the dead... As Sophie of Woods Beyond returns to Camelot to seduce the king...