“So we grew up learning a fake fairy tale?” Tedros said.
“But is it fake if people believe in it?” asked Merlin. “You assume that it is truth that makes a story valuable, because the tales that come from the Storian are true. The Storian writes history. But man is capable of writing stories too and man has no obligation to truth or to history. Indeed, the Storian wrote its own honest version of The Lion and the Snake at the time, recounting the tale of the king who spread falsehoods to win his crown, but it is a story no one remembers or tells. Instead, the story that lasted is the fraudulent one. Even the Royal Rot stopped reminding its readers long ago that the founding tale of Camelot is fabricated, because no one seems to care. Something about the false story resonates with people. Something that makes the story endure. Even if it’s based in a lie.”
“And this Snake,” said Tedros, “he believes the story is true?”
“You’re not listening, Tedros. The story is a thousand years old. Clearly the Snake has no ties to the brothers in the tale,” Merlin said, voice hardening. “What matters is how the Snake chooses to interpret the story. What matters is whether the Snake believes he can use the tale to take your throne.”
“But the Snake dies in the story—” said Tedros.
“Wrongly, in this Snake’s view,” said the wizard. “In the story, the Snake believes the Lion has stolen a throne that is his. The Snake out there in the Woods must believe the same thing about you. It’s why he’s chosen to live out this story again and see it through to its just end. In his mind, you’ve taken his throne. Now he wants it back. And it is up to you, as the true king, to stop him.”
Tedros’ head was pounding. “I don’t understand. No one else has a claim to the throne—”
“And yet your father’s sword remains trapped in a stone. So your claim too remains in doubt,” the wizard hectored. “And if the Snake comes for you, you’ve done nothing to show anyone that you are indeed the Lion in this story.”
“What are you saying, Merlin?” Guinevere asked, sharing her son’s confusion.
Merlin glared back at her. “His friend is dead, Guinevere. The rest of his friends might be next, along with his queen. Kingdoms everywhere are under threat and begging Camelot for help, only to get no response from its king. A king who someone out there believes shouldn’t be king at all. So instead of jerking Excalibur day after day, which clearly isn’t going to work, I’m saying he should be trying to find out why it’s stuck there in the first place.”
“I am King Arthur’s son,” Tedros declared, leveling Merlin with a stare. “I am the Lion by birthright and if a Snake dares challenge that, I will kill him. With or without my sword.”
The room was quiet.
Merlin exhaled. “Clarissa. Show him.”
Professor Dovey didn’t move, grimacing. “Merlin, I don’t think we—”
The wizard turned to her. “Show him or I will.”
Professor Dovey took a deep breath and pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. She placed it on the table. “This was the Storian’s last page before I left for Camelot. I had one of the fairies copy it as best they could.”
Tedros pulled it open.
“You betrayed Chaddick for a Snake?” Sophie cried. “Chaddick had Tedros’ trust! Chaddick had Tedros’ faith! What does a Snake have?”
Slowly the Lady of the Lake raised her eyes.
“He has Arthur’s blood,” she said.
Tedros, his mother, and Lancelot all turned to Merlin, white as milk.
“Arthur’s blood?” Guinevere breathed.
Lancelot shook his head. “That’s . . . that’s . . .”
“Impossible,” finished Tedros.
“Not necessarily,” said Merlin, glancing at Professor Dovey as if they’d already thought this through. “There are a number of explanations for what the Lady of the Lake said to Sophie. The Snake may be a relative of Arthur: a half-brother or nephew or blood cousin we are unaware of. The Snake could be referring to having Arthur’s physical blood in his possession, even to suggest that he killed Arthur, meaning he inflicted the mortal wound at the Battle of the Four Point almost seven years ago. He could even mean it figuratively: that he has Arthur’s blood ‘on his hands’ and holds Arthur responsible for a crime he’s committed. Whatever the Snake’s meaning, it made the Lady of the Lake let him into her kingdom and protect him over Tedros’ knight. Even more, this Snake must be quite the charmer, because it appears from the Storian’s painting that the Lady of the Lake has lost her powers. . . . Which means the Lady likely kissed him as well.”
“The Lady of the Lake? Sorceress eternal? Kiss a boy?” Lancelot said, agape.
“My reaction, precisely,” said Professor Dovey.
“To seduce the Lady of the Lake into giving up her powers is a staggering feat—one that should strike fear into all of us,” said Merlin gravely. “But that isn’t the only thing that’s troubling. The Lady of the Lake is capable of mistakes; she has human emotions after all. Excalibur, on the other hand, does not make mistakes. And it remains trapped in the stone at the same time that a Snake has made its way into the Woods, claiming to have King Arthur’s blood.”
Everyone was quiet, a thick unease filling the room.
For the first time, Tedros finally understood what Merlin had been trying to tell him.
“So there’s two possibilities,” Tedros said. “One is the Snake has no claim to the throne and Excalibur wants me to prove I’m the true king, not him. Only then can I pull the sword.”
“Correct,” said Merlin.
“And the second possibility?” asked Guinevere.
“The second possibility isn’t a possibility,” said Tedros.
“The second possibility is that Excalibur is waiting for the Snake to pull the sword and prove he’s king, not Tedros,” said Merlin.
Tedros felt nauseous, hearing the wizard say it out loud.
“The Snake can’t have Dad’s actual blood,” he said, breathless. “Dad had no brothers or sisters.”
“Unless there was one he didn’t know about,” said Guinevere. “He called Sir Ector his father, the man who adopted him. I never met his real parents. I don’t even know who they were.”
“Did Dad know who they were?” Tedros asked his mother.
Guinevere blushed and stared at her hands. “I feel so stupid. I should have asked more about his family. But Arthur had a way of closing off certain avenues of conversation. There were many things we just didn’t talk about. It’s why it was so easy for the two of us to keep secrets from each other.”
An uncomfortable silence fell.
“After Lance and I left . . . ,” Guinevere started. “Is it possible Arthur—”
“No,” said Tedros. “Dad never touched another woman after you abandoned him. He was faithful to you, even if you weren’t to him.”
Guinevere nodded, unable to look at him.
Tedros’ head was hammering. Chaddick dead . . . Lady of the Lake kissed . . . Dad’s blood . . .
“What do we do, Merlin?” he asked shakily.
The wizard looked him straight in the eyes. “My king, I am asking you that question.”