SGE His Broken Heart (Sequel to His Darkened Heart)

Chapter 2 Playing the Part

•• RHIAN'S POV ••

"Sherwood Forest Tomorrow 6:00 p.m. At Marian's Arrow. Password is: "Little John," is what the letter said. Rhian had received it just yesterday afternoon from Tedros himself.

Rhian had anticipated a meeting with Tedros for a while now, but he'd never thought it'd come as soon as this. Apparently, attacking Fourpoint was all Rhian and Japeth had to do to catch Tedros's attention.

Now, Rhian was on his way to Nottingham which was just a few miles away from where him and Japeth had set up camp. He'd left his brother behind just a few hours ago and on horseback, he rode along, sporting his golden jacket and lion mask.

Rhian's mind was set upon the task at hand. He'd told his brother that he had to attack Tedros and his friends when Rhian got to them. Saving Tedros and his friends a second time from the Snake's attacks would ensure Rhian seemed more trustworthy.

But while Rhian was struggling to mentally prepare himself for the task soon to come, his mind lingered back to him and Japeth's exchange before he'd ridden away.

It wasn't the fact that Japeth had basically said he was the Snake now, inside and out, that stuck in Rhian's mind. No. What lingered in Rhian's mind from him and Japeth's exchange was their goodbye.

Rhian had said he loved Japeth, and Japeth hadn't said it back. This shouldn't have stuck out as unusual to Rhian, for there'd been many times when Japeth had refused to say, I love you, back.

But this time felt different. In fact, everything had sorta felt different since Japeth had agreed to join Rhian in his plan to take over Camelot.

Of course, Japeth and Rhian had been very occupied with enacting their plan. Ever since they'd begun attacking and saving all the kingdoms in the endless woods, Rhian had noticed his brother becoming colder and harder as if Japeth's whole personality had increased tenfold.

Rhian wanted to figure his brother out, but Japeth and him rarely spoke much. They were both far too busy being 'at each others' throats' as the Lion and the Snake to even think about being brotherly.

As Rhian rode along on his white horse, passing trees upon trees and kicking up dust, he struggled to push his worries out of his mind. Japeth was fine, he told himself. After all, Rhian knew Japeth and he knew Japeth would get past this whole charade. Japeth would get over being the Snake soon enough and the cold facade he'd had on the past few days would soon go away.

Rhian believed in his heart that when him and Japeth's work was finally paid of and their plans were finally fulfilled, him and Japeth would be brothers again. The kind of brothers they were meant to be. Two halves finally joined and two twins bonded forever.

That was how it was meant to be. That was what Rhian wanted.

And so as Rhian rode into Nottingham, past the Sheriff's station and past a boat that'd crushed a statue of the Sheriff, he grabbed his quest map from the folds of his golden jacket to see where the heroes he were looking for were.

Sophie, Agatha, and the rest of her friends figurines' names were all present in Nottingham. All Rhian could do now was hope to find them soon and anticipate Tedros's arrival. Tedros's figurine was still trekking away from Camelot, drawing closer and closer to Nottingham with each passing second.

Rhian's horse trotted down the road, passing vandalized shops with graffiti sporting insults about the Sheriff of Nottingham and how bad he was at catching Robin Hood. The road was eerily quiet, house windows boarded up and people just barely peeking through their curtains to watch Rhian pass by outside.