It was still very early in the morning, so Una's discretion was still not as acute as if she were fully awake. Standing there with Wilona on the ground, Una thought Wilona was asleep. Wilona was playing as if she was sleeping as Una began to spill her thoughts about the matter. Gareth knew that Alaric had not done this, neither did Una. Before Una can stop herself, she barely utters the word Ingrid before she stoves up.

Wilona was infuriated. She had to get rid of Ingrid once and for all. If she did not, she would try something else to kill her. She was even more infuriated that Gareth was very passive about this. He shrugged Ingrid's attempt off how an adult would shrug off a child's punch to the leg. Ingrid was almost successful.

Una dismissed herself and said she was going to confront Ingrid about this. Sometime later, Una came back to check on the queen. Una had talked to Ingrid, and Ingrid denied it all. It hurt Una deeply that she was lying to her. She never expected that of all people, one of her closest friends now was yet again betraying her not with her actions but for words. Of course, Una knew that Ingrid had to protect herself. No matter how much Una consoled her and promised that she would not be angry with her, Ingrid continues to deny her nefarious act of poisoning the queen. Una hated the queen too, but she would never go to the lengths to kill the woman.

"Your highness, are you feeling any better?" Una asked as she sat at the end of her bed.

"Much better. Thank you for your concern, Una. Sir David has been fulfilling my every request, though what would you expect from such a virtuous knight." She giggled.

Una suspected that Alaric might have put a sedative in her tea this time that has made her a bit loopy. She was acting very kind toward Una now, despite all that Wilona thought of her.

"He is very kind, isn't he? I have to ask him to leave from guarding my door because I'm paranoid he'll hear me cough and come running over with liquor and cinnamon." Una laughed.

"Are you not fond of liquor?" Wilona laughed.

"I'll drink it if it's appropriate, though I prefer juices and teas." Una smiled back.

"That's quite odd. Most people love to drink here, especially the hard stuff." Wilona laughed.

"I know Alaric only likes it for medicines, and I know Ingrid is repulsed by it as well, so she told me." Una grinned.

"How...interesting. Ingrid doesn't like to drink, nor Alaric?" She laughed.

"Yeah," Una said, feeling that she was a little too interested.

"Well, Una. As you know, tonight is the night of Samhain. Since we must all stay in the castle, I was wondering if you would like to join me for a little celebration later." Wilona said and reached out and grabbed Una's hand.

"Oh, a celebration, you say?" Una said nervously.

Una knew this was no ordinary celebration.

"A celebration of life, that I have lived through the worst and have come back stronger. Me and the baby." Wilona said, squeezing her hand.

"Will Gareth be attending? It's quite late already." Una fake smiled.

"Nay, it will be us queens and a few of my closest friends. I already extended the invitation to Alaric, though, so he could reconcile with me after this little accident. There will be entertainment too. I am sure you will find it most stimulating. Gareth will come to bed soon, and then that is when I will leave. You can meet me in the throne room. Sir David will let you pass." Wilona's voice deepened.

"Is that so." Una laughed hesitantly.

"Yes. Us queens have to stick together, you know. We are more powerful than kings. Gareth wouldn't get it. It's about motherhood." Wilona smiled.

"How...lovely." Una grinned.

"It's a shame your children couldn't accompany you. I'm sure they would enjoy it as well."

"Oh, I don't have children," Una said hesitantly.

Una could really feel Wilona digging around her emotions. Did Gareth tell her? Indeed, he would not divulge such personal information.

"That's a shame. Is your womb blackened? Mine once was, but I fixed it." She laughed.

"Uh, I'm not sure, honestly. I have no husband, so it has never been tested before." Una felt very uncomfortable.

"You're pure, a pure queen!?" Wilona laughed manically.

"How wonderful!" She added.

"Oh, I mean your purity is highly sought after. I think it is so valiant that you have remained this way without the tarnish of man." Her voice became even darker and more substantial.

"Um, I really didn't have a choice. It was the way fate laid their card out for me." Una laughed.

Una watched as Wilona's eyes became wild, like a wolf targeting the fattest lamb unaccompanied by the rest of the herd.

"Well, forgive me for intruding upon you during these hours. I must politely decline your kind offer. I lack sleep." Una hesitated as she pulled away from her and stood up.

"Please, Una. You must come. Other than me, you will be the center of attention tonight." She grinned.

"I implore you, queen Una. You will not have your regrets after attending." She pressed Una more.

"I really shouldn't."

"You're pagan, though." Wilona grinned manically.

"No, not anymore. What does my religion have to do with this?"

"Tonight is Samhain. Your people should be celebrating. We will be celebrating." Wilona said with a low tone.

"You're Cristian, though?" Una said to Wilona, confused.

"Yes, I firmly believe that there is God. God created darkness, though, too. Perhaps God will celebrate his creation tonight with us." Wilona said, blaspheming her own religion.

"Um, I must be going now. Thank you for the invitation. I... will think on it." Una smiled and turned to exit.

Una got out of there as quickly as she could. Her heart was nearly pounding out of her chest in fright. Was she really invited to one of Wilona's rituals? The God she talked about was not any God Una knew of. Only dark forces would come of this. She had to tell someone about it. Suddenly she saw Gareth walking in the distance.

"Gareth!" Una shouted as she ran up to him.

"Good evening, Una." Gareth smiled.

He could see the look on her face was not friendly.

"What's wrong?" Gareth asked as he grabbed her hand.

"Your wife, she will perform a ritual tonight. She will surely drink blood."

"What?" Gareth grinned again.

"I thought you told me that you knew of her darkness?" Una asked, confused.

"Yes, but tonight is Samhain. She thinks drinking blood will strengthen our child. We kill rabbits to eat, and we bless them by God's grace. Aren't we all technically sacrificing? It's a simple misinterpretation since, well, your practices are very different than ours." Gareth grinned but realized what he said was insulting.

"This is different, Gareth. This night is not just for pagans. This is for the dark arts as well." Una said, looking up at Gareth.

"Don't be saying such things, please," Gareth whispered with a smile as a few noblewomen walked by with furrowed brows and shock.

Una was drawing a lot of attention by shouting about dark arts and pagans. This country was predominantly Christian, and even mentioning those words of God stirred the people.

"Listen, you're paranoid. If you want, I can get my personal guards to monitor Wilona. She is already being seen by Alaric constantly."

"Hmm, Alaric?" Una whispered to herself.

She knew that Wilona mentioned inviting him to this ritual. Indeed, he was just as terrified as she was.

"What's that you say?" Gareth asked.

"Nothing. As you said, I think I am just overly paranoid." Una laughed and ran away in the other direction.

"She can be so strange sometimes." Gareth laughed to himself before turning and walking away.

Una came bursting through Alaric's door.

"Alaric!" Una shouted.

"Mercy, Una!" He sighed and put his hand on his heart.

He was sifting through some books in the back of the bookshelf.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I meant to ask you something." Una hesitated as she shut the door behind her.

"It's no trouble. I am just looking for some old remedies to help aid against abdominal pains for the queen. What did you want to ask?" He said, standing up and walking over to Una.

He peered down at Una. Ingrid and Alaric had the same coloring. They were so different, though. Ingrid lied to Una, and now she was going to test Alaric.

"Did Wilona extend an invite to you?" Una asked, looking over at some lavender buds in a jar.

"What do you mean?" He gulped.

Una pulled the jar off the shelf and uncorked the lid. She looked up into Alaric's eyes as she smelled the fragrant scent of the relaxing herb.

"Wilona asked me to join a celebration later tonight. She mentioned that she invited you."

She watched Alaric sigh.

"And?" He smiled.

"So, you did?" Una asked.

"I do not deny it." He grinned.

"So, she did?" Una said.

"Hahaha, well frankly, yes. I was invited, but she told me not to say a word." He turned over back to the shelf.

"Don't you find it odd that she invited us both? I am confident that this will be a ritual! It's Samhain, Alaric!" Una said louder.

"Una!" Alaric shouted at her as he turned around.

"I don't care who hears! People know about her doings. We need to find Ingrid." Una demanded.

Alaric walked back over, put his hands over her shoulders, and bent down, peering into her moss-colored eyes.

"Ingrid is fine. She is safe in your room. We talked earlier. She mentioned that you had begged her to admit she poisoned Wilona."

"Well, didn't she?" Una asked.

Alaric sighed and took his hands away, and went back to the shelf. There he poured a drink for Una. He handed the bronze goblet to Una.

"It's lavender water since I noticed you have an affinity towards it. It will calm you." Alaric said as Una smelt it and put it to her lips.

"Please, Una. I must find this formula now." Alaric begged Una.

"I'm not leaving. You know she did do it, don't you? Una stated as she took a sip of the sweet water.

She could hear Alaric gulp.

"She didn't know the repercussion of this transgression against the queen. She is too fiery. I assure you she is repenting her sins as we speak." Alaric hesitated.

Una drank down the rest of the water. It tasted like the breath of spring. It was much better than the bitter lemon oil water he gives her all the time.

"Keep her safe, Alaric. I don't trust Wilona." Una said as she walked away and opened the door.

"Oh, and don't go to the celebration," Una said, looking back.

Alaric was standing there staring at Una, emotionless.

"Wait!" Alaric shouted toward Una.

He ran over to her and shut the door behind her.

"Listen to me, Una," Alaric said, staring intensely into her eyes.

"You are one of my closest friends. You know that, right? Ingrid and I adore you, and I hope you feel the same towards us. But some things would make you think twice about calling us your close friends. This is one of those instances where our friends are our enemies. I hope you understand me." Alaric said in the most severe tone.

"What are you saying, Alaric?" Una said, frightened.

"You need to forgive Ingrid and me before it's too late," Alaric said, bending his head down.

"What? What are you talking about? Why would I need to forgive you? You and Ingrid have done nothing wrong to me, right?" Una said, sinking to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Una. I laced your water a second ago so you could sleep through the night."

"What, how could you do this to me?!" Una screamed out to him.

"I can't let you go to the celebration, Una. It is not meant for you. It will only bring you darkness and more misery. I told you a while ago you needed to leave, and you did not heed my warning. You have nothing to worry about now. You will fall asleep, and I will leave you with Gareth." Alaric said with remorse in his tone.

"Gareth? You've drugged him too?" Una felt tears in her eyes.

"Only the ones who have never been and will never go," Alaric said, walking away and sitting in a chair.

He crouched forward and looked at Una. Tears filled her eyes.

"Why would you drug everyone?"

"So, we will have time to clean up," Alaric said.

"Clean up?" Una gasped.

"It usually takes place in the throne room. However, tonight is Samhain. It will take place in the sacred circle in the woods. I did not have to drug everyone tonight, but I couldn't have them wondering where everyone went. The village is so far away that there is no need to drug them too. Besides, we are a Christian people, and we don't go outside on such an unholy holiday." Alaric said bitterly.

"You were abused like Ingrid," Una said faintly.

"Yes." He said with a sad tone.

"And obviously brainwashed too," Una said with anger.

Una turned to the side and stuck her fingers down her throat, puking up the water.

"It will be no good to do that. The tranquilizer has already had time to enter your blood. You will soon fade into a night of sleep, and you will remember nothing. It will be as if all of this was some nightmare. This is the best sleep the castle sees all year." Alaric said without smiling.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have left the tea in Wilona's stomach!" Una cried out.

"Ingrid is brave, Una. She is as brave as you are. She fears no death. If I let you let Wilona die, the dark spirits that guard her would come and make me ill, and I will die. I am the only healer in this land. If I die, hundreds more will die without me than the few lives taken each year. It is a worthy sacrifice."

"Can you hear yourself, Alaric?"

"This is what happened to King Idris. He messed with Wilona. He did not want her to marry Gareth, but since you were nowhere to be found, he didn't have a choice. He would rather his son marry a pendragon of Mercia than a Viking princess."

"She killed Idris?" Una cried.

"Gareth told me once that Idris knew she had a plan. The pendragons were bloodthirsty, and they hated that Wessex was no longer under their control. The first step was that a pendragon enters the kingdom somehow. It entered as Gareth's wife. Second, she had to get pregnant. Obviously, Gareth refused her for so long that she started to sleep with other men in hopes of getting pregnant. She had a blackened womb. She could not bear children. She took to the dark forces of old to help. In exchange for her pregnancy, she had to give up an equally important trade. That trade was King Idris. The last Samhain, she made this trade. As soon as Idris died, she would be able to get pregnant."

Alaric looked down at his hands. They healed but hurt so many.

"Slowly but surely, king Idris became sicker and weaker with each passing day until he died. This was a premature death by many years. Now that she is pregnant, she has to stay in the castle, and she will weaken everyone through her child, including Gareth. I know that the child is enchanted. The child will literally suck the life forces away here and weaken the kingdom where the pendragons can win this war and take back their lands. Now that you are here, you are a threat. She will dispose of you. You did not take heed to my warning, and now you will suffer for it. I tried to warn you, and I am sorry that you would not listen. For that, I hope you can forgive me when you find yourself in the darkness of the pendragons. They will make this place a living hell on earth. They will not create lands like your pagan lands. They will wipe the slate clean of any God or Goddess, and they will become living Gods on earth."

Alaric lifted his head after he spoke and realized that Una had slumped over and passed out.

"I'm so sorry, Una. Forgive me." Alaric said, staring at her motionless body.