There's always beginning to things, you know, and unfortunately, or fortunately, always an end.

"I-I was won- wondering," said a high pitched voice, stuttering. "How, how can you domi-minate all the-the the world if the-there is always some-one to-to disagree with-with you?" she finished.

"Explain you thoughts, Miss Daniel," said the shadow, his aristocratic tone chilling the room with the sharp edge the words took.

"I-I don't think you-you could stop peo-ple thinking, king ab-bobout dethroning you. It's just a-a matter of time be-before someone will-will destroy your-your…" The words failed her.

Artemis Fowl's pride was injured.

"How old are you Miss Daniel? In your seventies?"

"I- I- I'm..."

"...seventy-eight," Artemis finished impatiently as he stood up, pouring from the flask the amber liquid in his own glass where the Fowl crest glinted in the faint light of the room.

The old woman fell silent, her lips pinched into a firm line. Gripping her walking stick, she felt the urge to jump up and run. But old age didn't favour her here.

"You've been with the rebels since you were eight and you've taken seventy years to ask yourself that question? I wondered about it when I was fifteen. I think I feel nearly pity for you, Miss Daniel, with a mind as slow as yours, really."

Miss Daniel was the woman's name. She squirmed in her chair, her grip on her stick tightening dangerously, her finger turning white under the pressure. She had been born with a mental deficiency and hated being reminded.

"Like you're such a geni-nius Artemis Fo- Fowl, what, what di-did you do-do about out it- it it?"

"You, you want to-to know?" Artemis emitted the old women, mocking her with the slight pleasure only he could find in it.. "Well…" he started, the wheels of his mind turning quickly, an important decision about to be made. "Like you don't have much more time to live, I might as well tell you how I could have. However, by pride, I abandoned the project of mind domination and stuck to my original plan; simple world domination." He tone now became casual, but not more pleasant to the ears.

Artemis drank from his crystal glass, savouring the numbing feeling that fell over his tong, warming his throat as the liquid slid down his throat.

"You'll like it, I promise," he told Miss Daniel. He sat back down on the thick leather arm of his armchair, taking his time, a smile gracing his lips, as if remembering a fond memory. "You mother turns up in it, before, of course, she died by your own silly mistake." The smile faltered a little, just a second. I was always painful speaking of his deceased wife.

Putting his glass back on the ebony table he let his smile grow before sliding back between the two arms of his chair. This would take some time he decided, no use getting uncomfortable. He fingered slightly the edge of the glass, trying to decided where he should start after all.

Artemis Fowl had kept the appearance of his twenties, his black hair slick and shining just like it had been in his youth. His dark eyes searched the face of the old woman, examining the creases that scultated her skin.

"Well," he finally said. "It starts like this: once upon a time, there was a rich kid who fancied power above all..."


Rewrote the chapter. Looks much better if you ask me.