Lucia's Point of View

Pendragon Estate

I watched as the man covered his eyes, and I saw his lips tremble. “You can just ignore the question, Arthur.” My voice reached him, but he didn’t respond. “Not like it matters.”

Arthur removed his hand as he turned and faced me. “It might.” He told me before he turned to see who all was listening in, and quite a few were as they were spread out across the room. “They all know anyway.” The man’s tone was bitter.

“Know what?” I asked with a raised brow.

“A lot has happened, Lucia. Many things of which because of who you are. Augustus gave his life to protect you because he was likely suspicious of who you are.” Then he gestured behind him to Aydalia who avoided my gaze. “Or Aydalia who had seen my memories and told them to Aien.”

My eyes narrowed in thought. “I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?”

Nodding, Arthur bobbed his head almost nervously. “Yes.” He answered. “I loved your mother. I still love your mother. Although, we’re both likely very different people now to the other.” Clearing his throat, he seemed to grow increasingly more tense as he continued. “Which is why I react so strongly to things concerning you.”

“Okay?”

“Okay…” Arthur let out weakly as his eyes darted about as he tried to find the words to say. “Well, uh, I came back from Vithari poisoned.” He leaned forward towards me. “And I sort of revealed things in the heat of the moment.” His mouth open and closed a few times before he continued. “I… I was not happy when I returned and found out you had disappeared. Things may have gotten out of hand.”

Greigh coughed from the other side of the room, which made me turn to him as he quickly looked away as well. It wasn’t until Marina came down, realized the topic, and quickly started to shuffle the others out of the room. She gave a short bow toward me before she kept the others out. I was a little confused as to what was happening.

My eyes returned to Arthur who was actually shaking nervously. “And when I thought you were dead…” He was having trouble looking me in the eyes. “I thought I watched you die, Lucia. In my arms.” Arthur looked at me and I saw the sorrow in his eyes. “As such, I acted on impulse.”

Sighing, I reached over and took his hands in mine. “Arthur, I know you are trying to tell me something, but it would be best if you were to just come out with it.”

“I went back and killed almost all the succubae. The men, women, and children. It didn’t matter to me. Only few of them remain, and I left them alive at a whim.” That was… Difficult to take in. “That, and I wanted to confront the other person who I felt was responsible for your death.” I just waited for him to continue. “And I may have stabbed Arceana with the intention of killing her.”

Needless to say, my eyes widened at that, but I heard someone shout from out in the hallway. “He was poisoned, and parts of his brain had literally died!” Marina informed us. “Our father wasn’t exactly reasonable at the time!”

My mouth closed as I tried to take all this in. “As disturbing as all this is to hear, and while I am glad that it may have not been entirely your own decision, I am confused, Arthur.” I told him. “Were you scared I wouldn’t understand you trying to kill Arceana while you were poisoned? If it’s about the Succubae, I’m sure they knew the risks, and I warned them as such from what Alwin told me.” Squeezing his hands, I moved my head so I could look him in the eye. “What is this all about, Arthur. Tell me.”

“Well,” He cleared his throat as he pulled his hands back shakily. “There’s a chance, and a rather good one, that I might be…” Arthur trailed off as he gestured to himself and then me. “I, and you…” His hands shook horribly as he continued to make rather choppy motions to the two of us. “I’m, uh, possibly your dad.”

“I see.” I said after a moment. “You’re my-“ My voice caught in my throat as I had finally processed what he had said. “What?” I let out in a shocked whisper as my eyes widened and my own hands started to shake.

Arthur cleared his throat once more. “I said- I said I’m probably your father, Lucia.”