The Lady's Secret (School for Good and Evil)

Trial

The Kingdom Council stared at Reaper. The cat was stroking the firefly on his palm nonchalantly, as they waited for him to say something else.

He didn't.

Tedros stepped forward. "There's your proof that this is Japeth, the Snake," he said, turning his head towards the villain. The Foxwood guards had let Tedros go, now truly believing him to be the real king.

Japeth, however, was still being held by guards, their spears to his neck. The Snake glared at Tedros, then his glare moved down to Reaper. The cat just meowed sassily as he licked his paw.

The Captain of the Foxwood guard moved behind Japeth, shooing away the other soldier. He grabbed the Snake's arm and lit an orange finger glow in front of his neck.

Japeth took a relieved breath. "I am not the Snake, I am King Rhian of Camelot and I demand that you release me," he said calmly.

The guard- Aric, who was going to release him anyway- let go of his shoulders, staying close behind him as the Snake slinked up towards Tedros.

Japeth loomed over him, still creeping towards the king. He stopped walking, his face a foot away from Tedros. The Snake didn't say anything, creating a tense atmosphere between the rivals.

But his grin said it all.

He practically said he would trick the Kingdom Council again.

He practically said he was going to burn the ring again.

He practically said he was going to kill Tedros.

"I still have what you need," Japeth cooed as he held up Camelot's ring.

"Give it to me," Tedros seethed.

"No, I don't think I will," the Snake grinned, turning back to the Kingdom Council.

"I am King Rhian of Camelot, eldest son of Arthur." His voice boomed over the crowd of Kings and Queens. "You may believe that I am the Snake, but you should think twice, as I have evidence of my own."

Slowly, he reached behind his back and pulled out his own firefly, glowing a dark emerald green.

Evil at first look, Tedros thought, though no one else seemed to notice.

Japeth held out his palm and let the bug fly into the air. It hovered for a moment before casting a glow over the garden.

It showed the same scene as Reaper's firefly had.

No, it was different.

Japeth was still on his knees, held by Hester and Anadil's finger glows.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Tedros screamed

"I want you to know that I am Rhian, son of Arthur, and the One True King of Camelot," Japeth replied, smoothly.

The scene faded and a new one began. In this one, Tedros was being held by Foxwood guards, just like Reaper's second piece of evidence. Quickly they were shooed away by Japeth as he slithered up to the King.

"I am the One True King and there is nothing you can do to get in the way of my destiny, you Snake," he said regally.

He held up his hand, the ring of Camelot already wedged onto his- obviously fake tanned- finger. A smile spread across his face as Tedros's guards came back, knives to his neck.

The next scene was almost identical to Reaper's, but cut up to make Tedros the Snake.

It showed Japeth and Sophie on a stage, next to Tedros in the Snake suit. He started floating in the air. Then suddenly, Tedros turned and shot a bolt of golden light towards the Kingdom Council, causing them to shoot up into the sky in a gold bubble as the scene started to fade.

The last video showed complete darkness. Japeth and Sophie walked forward, emerging from the wreckage of the stage. Slowly, Tedros started to hover over the grass, scims flying towards him from all directions until he was entirely covered in them, his Snake suit complete and a wicked smile slithered across his face.

Japeth shot a flash of light towards the sky, illuminating the darkness with a gold glow, and showing the Kingdom Council who the Snake really was.

The last scene faded, still carving Tedros's face into the sky.

Tedros's face that was wearing the Snake suit.

Japeth held out his hand once more and the little firefly collapsed onto it, breathing heavily. He turned to face the Kingdom Council.

"I have said it before and I will say it again, I am King Rhian, and this man is the Snake," he thundered, pointing a finger at Tedros.

Everyone's eyes moved to the blonde boy.

"His evidence is lies! He butchered the scenes and cut out the parts telling the truth to frame me as the villain," Tedros rebounded.

"That sounds like something a true villain would say," Japeth shot back.

They both turned to the Kingdom Council, seeming to decide their verdict.

Nobody said anything.

Then everybody said everything.

The entire courtyard broke out into chaos with Kings and Queens screaming about who they thought was the real king.

Soon a fight had broken out between the captain of the Foxwood guard and Hester. Both had their finger glows ready to stun. Red against orange, despite the flicker of violet.

But before either could do anything, King Dutra had pulled his captain back, and Anadil and Dot were dragging Hester away.

She stopped as they walked past Tedros.

"You know that's Aric, right?" she said, as if not believing him smart enough to figure it out on his own.

"Yeah. I know," he growled. "And if I hadn't, you three ganging up on him would have solidified that suspicion for me."

The blonde boy turned to face the Captain of the guard again, his violet eyes gleaming under his armor.

Tedros started forward, about to reveal to everyone who their so-called captain really was, but something stopped him.

Or rather someone.

He stared up at the wolf king of Bloodbrook, who had stuck his paw out in front of Tedros and sent him tumbling to the ground.

He quickly got up, brushing grass and dirt off of his hands as Japeth gave him a nasty sneer.

"We have come to a decision," the King of Bloodbrook said.

Both boys looked at him anxiously, silently willing him to go on.

"Both pieces of evidence were convincing," he continued. "So convincing that we couldn't choose."

Everyone's eyes were glued to the huge man-wolf standing before them, silence filling the entire garden.

"There will be a competition as to who is the true king," the wolf went on.

Mouths gaped open with impatience, waiting for him to elaborate.

"There will be a trial." He didn't say anything else.

"What kind of trial?" Tedros croaked, his voice barely making a sound.

The garden went dead silent as the King's voice echoed-

"A Trial by Tale."