Joanne was making cups of tea alone in the kitchen, her heart heavy with the guilt and regret she was feeling.

Slowly, she opened the bottle and held it.

This was it.

This was what it all came down to.

After everything the king and his wife had done for her, she was going to betray them.

Kill two birds with one stone.

Anya will fall in love with Lancelot.

Artie will lose his kingdom and his wife.

And Lancelot will be king.

Was this what she wanted?

To destroy a kingdom and a couple's happiness and love for the sake of her life?

She didn't know anymore.

Anya wasn't herself.

Neither was Artie.

It was almost as if Anya knew what was happening on a subconscious level and Artie, somehow, must sense it.

But she was terrified of having her head cut off for stealing gold from the king.

She always lived in fear and would probably die in fear.

She had no choice.

She poured the bottle into one of the cups and saw it form a red heart before it sank into the cup.

There was no going back.

She carried the tray up to the tower and knocked on the door.

"Your highness?" She asked.

She walked in and saw Anya looking out the window, her hands on the window sill, her posture sad and depressed.

"I thought I might find you here." Joanne put on a fake smile as she placed the tray on the window sill.

"How about a nice cup of tea before the ball?"

"I'm not going."

Joanne wasn't surprised.

She was expecting it.

But Lancelot was going to be waiting for her to kiss her so he could be king.

"The whole kingdom's turned out to celebrate your marriage."

"There's just one problem." Anya turned and Joanne saw her pain and longing in her eyes that nearly took her breath away. "That's not my husband. I mean, look at him."

Anya pointed and looked out the window with Joanne following her gaze.

There was Artie, more like Lancelot posing as Artie, waving, smiling and blowing kisses.

Everyone could see he loved the attention.

Joanne heart grew even heavier as she saw Lancelot waving and Anya looking at him, with no love in her hurt and confused eyes.

"Yes, he is a bit different." She said, looking back from the window and towards Anya, who was still looking out the window.

"But people change for the ones they love." She said, trying to cheer her up but the only thing that would cheer her up was Artie, the real Artie.

"Change? He's completely lost his mind!" She yelled in short anger.

Joanne internally flinched at her short outburst of anger.

If Anya only knew the truth, she wouldn't be even remotelly angry...

"Why not come down to the ball? Give him another chance. I mean, you might find you like the new Artie." She said, trying to encourage her.

"But it's the old one I fell in love with, Joanne." Anya said, desperation laced in her voice. "I'd do anything to have him back."

Joanne knew Anya loved Artie. She missed him.

She missed the real him even if she didn't know.

Joanne was regretting this more and more.

Anya reached for a cup but Joanne stopped her because she was reaching for the wrong one.

"Uh, that's mine, your Highness. Decaf. You know me."

Wordlessly, Anya reached for the right one and drank it.

Joanne heart sank with each drop that Anya sipped.

But she believed she had no choice.

"Mmm. Thanks, Joanne."

Joanne nervously smiled, hoping, hoping that something good will come out of this.