Legends Never Die
"Doth my ears deceive me? Did you, fair maiden, declare that ye no longer wish to be a hero?"
"No, I said-"
"Alas, my heart is torn, its vessels falling like petals off a dying flower! Clouds have covered the sun, and I have no hope of seeing the moon!"
"Oh for goodness sake…"
"Oh radiant maiden, if thou wouldst reconsider your-"
Winter hit the prince. Hard.
It gave the mage satisfaction that no-one in the tavern seemed to care. Whether that was due to the threat of her ice magic, or because of the prince's demeanour, she didn't know. But seeing the look in the fool's eyes as he got back to his feet, she did know that she would have to keep the upperhand lest she lose it to the swordsman's prattling.
"What I said," Winter began, "is that I'm fine being a hero still. What I also said is that I want to pursue that career outside Brightlodge."
"But-"
"And I…we've,been doing this for ten years," Winter continued, gesturing towards all the other heroes in the tavern. "It's time to move on."
"Alas, time!" Prince Charming cried out. "Always running, always out of reach. My legs ache under time's passage, yet not so much as my heart aches for you."
Winter supressed a thought of Charming's legs running, opening, and what that would lead to should he follow his heart. Following that suppression, her thoughts turned to satisfaction as a pint was placed in front of her. And that satisfaction turned to discontent a moment later.
"I asked for ice."
"It's summer," the barkeep grunted. "You want ice, you pay for it."
Scowling, Winter channelled her will. For a moment, she considered tossing a ball of ice at the lummox of a man before her. Instead she turned it downwards into her beverage.
"Ah, cider, the taste of autumn!" Prince Charming declared. "But if it may only be wine, lest we-"
Winter directed some ice into his mouth. That shut him up.
"Think of it this way," Winter said, as Charming struggled to remove the ice from his mouth. "People will remember our deeds long after they're done. So, by performing said deeds for ten years, I figure I'll be remembered long enough to enjoy the admiration."
The prince tried to say something. It sounded like a whale song.
"And after I'm old, grey, and finally dead, well, then it no longer matters," the mage said. She looked at the prince, currently trying to break the ice with the hilt of his daggers and failing. "Don't you agree?"
The prince wailed after the ice was hit, and fell down.
"Glad you do."
A/N
So, it was recently announced that Fable Legends is intended to have a 5-10 year life-cycle, a move that has added to controversy I'm surprised even existed in the first place. Don't really have strong thoughts either way, but inspired this as a result.