Avarice

Chapter 26: The Girl Behind The Queenly Mask

Tomorrow I sail the world

Loving more than I know with blood on my hands

Wouldn't know, you're a devious sister

Guts on your blouse

Close your old ways

Sailing To Nowhere – Broken Bells

Well, Reaver was quite right.

He really did have absolutely nothing to hide. The records that she had ordered pulled from his industries were all meticulous and well-kept, written in several different bits of handwriting, some of which may or may not have been Reaver's hand. The most recent transactions were the ones between the Crown and Reaver Industries, which could have only been transactions between Reaver and Logan, of which she had no part in.

Naveena sighed, taking a long drink from the fresh cup of coffee on her desk, which Hobson had brought only moments ago. It was bitter. Unsweetened.

Damn Hobson to the Void! At least Jasper knew how to make her coffee!

After spitting a mouthful of coffee back into the mug, Naveena leaned her head back and shifted restlessly in her plush desk chair, accidentally kicking Ace in the muzzle, as he was laying atop her feet. Still annoyed of course with the fact that she'd left him behind yet again. She mumbled an apology to her faithful canine companion, and decided to stand.

Outside, the first snow of the year was falling and sashaying in the air, trapped in natural tango. It was almost hypnotizing to watch. The children from Bowerstone were playing in the Castle gardens, throwing snowballs and building makeshift barricades. One of them pointed up at the window where she was standing, and gave an excited little wave, which she returned.

"We used to do that, remember? And you'd see your mum in the window and point and wave."

Naveena felt an arm curl around her waist and she smiled, turning her head to face Elliot who joined her in front of the window. By now, the children were crowded, trying to get a peek of the Hero Queen. Naveena noticed that Elliot had a tumbler of coffee in the other hand.

"I had the feeling Hobson wouldn't know how to make you coffee." Elliot laughed. "You've always been picky about the little things." He shook the tumbler for emphasis.

Naveena let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, splaying her hand across her forehead dramatically, "My Hero! You've saved me from the horrors of poorly brewed coffee! However will I repay you?"

Elliot leaned into her, breath tickling the nape of her neck, "Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something."

Naveena giggled, "That, or I will!"

She reached for the tumbler, taking it gently from Elliot's hands, and said, "Share with me?"

The two of them moved to the loveseat in her study.

It had been a week since she'd returned from Bloodstone, with Reaver in tow. Naveena was very lucky in the sense that a) she was alive and b) no one suspected where she'd been or more importantly with whom. Everyone in the Castle was under the impression that she had taken a Quest upon herself. Which was a half-truth, if you wanted to get technical about it. Walter, for one, made the assumption that she didn't want to be in that stuffy Castle for much longer, and made the insinuation that she should bring him along next time.

Plus, she'd been very insistent upon her investigation into her mother's death, and a great deal of the gossip she'd heard in the Castle seemed to indicate that the people believed whatever Quest she'd taken had something to do with that.

Speaking of which, Naveena had been true to her word. She'd pulled all of Reaver Industries' records, as her belief that Reaver had something to do with Sparrow's suspicious death won over any argument that she may just be getting back at him.

There wasn't much in the records, however, and her suspicions slowly dwindled day by day. The most suspicious thing in the records was the merging of Faraday Industries and Reaver Industries, which had actually happened quite recently, though Naveena could hardly remember any mentions of any man called Faraday. She had the feeling that maybe it was a story for another time.

Many of the transactions were between the Crown and Reaver Industries. At first Naveena had become excited with the fact that Reaver and Sparrow had dealings, feeling that maybe yes, this was it. Unfortunately, it was only investments for technology, ones which proved more detrimental to the Crown treasury than Reaver Industries' treasuries.

So, no motive there.

Logan was surprisingly resistant to her attempts at investigation, citing that she had more important things to be worrying about, such as the treasury, and the upcoming attacks by the Darkness. Naveena had hissed that this was important to her, and that she wasn't going to let it get in the way of her duties.

Which was a lie. Her schedule was so backed up that she was surprised Hobson wasn't having an ulcer.

To sum it up: She had gotten nowhere, wasted too much time, and was just beginning to feel the stress of her life.

Naveena and Elliot sat beside one another on the rich purple loveseat, two mugs of nicely brewed and sweetened coffee between them. Elliot's arm was leisurely set across her shoulders. Naveena found the feeling of being so close to Elliot, especially after all those days and moments with Reaver so be almost incredibly strange.

It made her feel guilty, feel so wrong so awful all over again.

Because, when it came down to it: She was unfaithful. A cheater. A liar, a mockery of everything she and Elliot had vowed the day they wed.

She didn't feel so good.

"Elliot... I..." He looked down at her. Big, boyish brown eyes framed with long lashes. "Can I ask you something?"

He smiled, a big, boyish smile, "Of course, love."

Love.

Naveena swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Well it's about-" She bit her lip, let a silence fill the space between them. Elliot's smile began to fall. "Linda."

Elliot frowned and looked pointedly away from Naveena, out at the window frosted with ice. There were many things that remained silent between the two of them. Such as the day that Logan had forced her to make that choice, the choice that had decided his life and her path in life. Or the day they reunited, speaking in short whispers about what Elliot wanted, her or Linda and how he needed to make a choice because Linda wasn't too dissimilar from Naveena and Naveena didn't share.

Or during the days of the revolution's beginning. They never talked about how one day, in the days that followed, there was a chance she wouldn't return. That she would be dead.

Naveena took a long drink from her own mug of coffee, which now tasted like sludge that crawled slowly down her throat.

"What about?" Whispered Elliot, softly. "And why?" Patches of color rose furiously upon his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no not exactly... It's just..." Now she turned to look out at the window, watching the snow. Ace whimpered, looking up at the two of them, sensing unease. "Do you ever feel... guilty? For leaving her?"

"No, never! You know that!" The color on his face was rising, and he whipped his head around to look at her.

"Why not?" Naveena's stomach turned ferociously, and looked to face him, eyes locking. "Why don't you feel guilty? She loved you, didn't she?"

"And I loved her!" Elliot spat, angry. "But I loved you more!"

"I would feel guilty if I left you for someone else!" Her stomach feel sharply, lurching. Naveena clenched her teeth, as Elliot let out an aggravated sigh. He placed his coffee mug on a table beside the loveseat, taking hers as well. She let him have it without protest.

"But you wouldn't." He said quietly, eyes lowered. "Because you're better than me. I know you."

Do you really?

He reached out, fingers touching the edge of her chin. He tilted her face towards him, whispering, "Listen."

She tried to turn away, her own guilt bubbling inside.

"Naveena, listen," She allowed him to pull her close, and Naveena found herself truly looking into his eyes. "I love you. Always. From the... from the very day we met."

A smile quirked at the corners of her mouth, but she suppressed it.

She remembered, of course.

Her father, who'd taken up the position of King shortly after her mother's death had held a soiree in honor of Logan's triumph during the campaign against the Trolls in Albion, in which he'd eradicated all of them.

She'd been sharing drinks with the son of a nobleman, Percy, when the boy had attempted to... ah, let's say impugn her honor. That was when Elliot had arrived, coming swiftly to her defense. The boys had a scuffle, causing a tremendous scene during the soiree, and in the end Naveena ended up giving Elliot her handkerchief for his bloody nose.

She thanked him more thoroughly later.

When no one was around.

"I... don't feel so good." She stood, fleeing the study, ignoring Elliot's calls. Ace trailed behind her.

Minutes later, she found herself throwing up into the nearest chamber pot, hands braced against the sides of it for purchase. She'd been like this all week, wondering if she was coming down with something.

Well, it was probably nothing.

Make-up sex was the best sex.

A crude moan escaped Naveena's lips. Elliot was on top of her, moving and rutting, grabbing at her hair and neck, trailing open-mouthed kisses along the contours of the rose tattoo that curled her back. She felt as though her insides were on fire, and their bedroom echoed with the sound of skin slapping against skin.

When it was over, however, when Elliot's head had arched back and a guttural sound had leapt from his throat and he'd collapsed atop her, snaking sweet nothings into the inside of her ear, Naveena could not help but compare the boy to Reaver.

Reaver was bored.

A both dangerous, and impossible combination, for a man who found the fun in almost anything, except that which took away his fun. He was bored with just about everything. He was bored with his various, interminable amount of lovers, as well as the servants that provided good target practice - not that he really needed any but it always did one good to keep a skill set sharp – and even with the games he played with members from both of those groups.

This sudden vicissitude was making him surly, which wasn't good for anyone within a hundred meter radius of him.

Reaver surveyed the three stacks of paper on the desk in front of him with keen eyes. He would of course delegate the work of putting those papers back to some fortunate fellow, but that could wait until later.

He was quite fascinated with the fact that Naveena had somehow by some improbable motion gone through all three stacks of those papers in the span of a week. Well, Reaver was almost impressed. Almost. He knew she'd gone through each and every paper because not only had she taken great care to mess up the order of each and every piece of paper, but she had also written little pieces of graffiti on them. Well, graffiti was a tad harsh.

But really, what had she expected when she went through his papers?

There were various notes strewn about the records, such as 'I hope you know that this is an illegal transaction.' and 'Really, Reaver? You invested in a condom factory?' and 'I'm really going to pretend I didn't see this. Positive this constitutes as a bribe. Nice.'

Ah, stupide fille. She shouldn't have expected less.

However, one of the papers had caught his eye. He held it in one hand, a chalice of his favorite wine, Noctem Pectus in another. He smirked to himself, his boredom only briefly assuaged.

There was a small note, written in Naveena's miniscule, spiky writing.

Next to the record which read – Royal Funeral – Sparrow only, ten-thousand gold pieces sent to Crown Treasury from Reaver Industries' personal treasury, to be used for funeral celebrations and/or expensive wines. Pay back soon, loves! Signed – Reaver – was the small note.

You didn't have to.

Thank you.

Reaver smirked and poured another glass.

"Her Majesty, the Queen of Albion."

Naveena walked, her gait long and proud, shoulders squared as the people around her cheered and gawked. It made her happy, she supposed, to know that she still held the people's favor. That they cared for her, despite a few of the hardships that she was imposing upon them. It was only for a year, though, and she had made that quite clear, especially in the note she'd sent informing the people that the guard budget would be set down.

She sat down on the throne, and two people approached. One of them was a woman in clothing that was very... off-putting. Reaver would have liked her. The man was something else, dressed in overalls covered in paint, a knitted hat set upon skewered curls.

"Today you will decide on the décor of the castle." Announced Walter, and the two of them exchanged equally annoyed looks.

Naveena of course had already made her decision the moment she'd seen this on Hobson's schedule, and no amount of ranting from either one of these fools was about to change her mind.

She let them talk, for a while.

"Celestial?" Squawked the woman in the barely-there clothing. She was in the middle of interrupting the poor man in the overalls. "Serene? Pretty?" Naveena thought that she had a very annoying voice. "Do you wish to be known as a ruler or as a fool?" Now she was accosting Naveena. Great.

"I," She sniffed. "Am Sybil Maleficent, Your Majesty, and I can tell you that people respect what they fear! This Castle should be a fortress of-"

"Enough." Naveena interrupted, leaning forward. The whole Throne Room went silent. "The two of you are here to tell me that we should be wasting our resources and money on something as trivial and silly as the décor of the castle?"

She heard Walter snicker to himself. The woman's mouth opened and closed. She looked as though Naveena had kicked a dog over a fence.

"Yes!" Sybil Maleficent said. "This place, if it can even be called that, is so dull. So... so normal! It is an affront to good taste and... and fashion! You, as a leader, should seek to fill your subjects' hearts with dread! After all, fear is at the heart of-"

"No!" Protested the man with the overalls. "You must be an enlightened ruler who-"

"This," Naveena snorted, annoyed. "Is ridiculous. I am not wasting my resources redecorating the castle. Get out."

"But!" Both of them protested in unison.

Walter, who'd managed to prevent himself from bursting into fits of laughter, told them, "The Queen has... made her decision. You may leave."

Both of them looked sorely put out, in unison.

As the two of them left, the audience began to slowly clap, shooting each other slightly worried glances askance. Walter and Naveena also shared a look. Of amusement, of course.

"Send in Kalin and Reaver." Walter told Hobson, standing by the Queen's throne. He jumped at the chance, a rather smarmy, slimy grin spread across his fat face. Naveena crossed and uncrossed her legs, her mind wandering slowly.

Elliot was avoiding her, of course. She'd thought they had... ah, made up as it were, but he was taking her words very personally. Naveena herself felt terrible for dragging up things that were better remained in the past, buried beneath a heady veneer of smiles and laughs and pretending.

"Your Majesty, may I say that you are looking simply divine today?" Naveena glared at Reaver, who was regarding her with both a smug smile and outstretched arms. Kalin was walking behind him, her feet shuffling slightly. "Such simple beauty! Why, it is no wonder those of the – ah – lower castes regard you with such obsessive reverence. It's almost sickening if you ask me-"

"But I didn't." Naveena cut him off, glaring at him. Reaver's smile only widened. Some of the people in the audience snickered.

"Well, I had hoped you'd appreciate my opinion dearly! I am, as you would say, an amoureux of such things as beauty..."

Naveena hand-waved, inwardly displeased. This man was now repugnant to her, or at least, so she thought. There were still the stirrings of feelings within her, writhing and twisting in her stomach. She ignored them.

"Today you decide on the future of Aurora, Your Majesty." Said Walter, though he was saying it more for the people watching and listening. Naveena knew full well what this was to be about. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and knotting her fingers together, watching the two people below her with great interest. This was something she hadn't been looking forward to.

The treasury was already dangerously near the deficit. This was something that would set them back a great deal, if considered.

"Kalin will speak for her people. Reaver will dispute her cause."

"You may speak." Said Naveena, nodding.

Kalin stepped forward, her features cast in an iron mask, "I am here to seek the protection you promised. It is too long since my people have felt safe, or have known of life without suffering. We were honored to join the fight to free Albion, but now it is time that we joined your kingdom." Kalin nodded, speaking with her hands. "Do what your brother failed to do. Help us to rebuild Aurora, and protect it as you would your own land."

And now Reaver stepped forward to stand beside Kalin, and Naveena turned her hardened gaze to him. He raised the cane in the air, shoulders shrugging.

"There is nothing so noble as embracing other cultures, and I for one could not be happier to count Aurora as part of Albion." He tilted his head, smirking smugly. "But surely they must work for that privilege, and I happen to know just how to put them to good use." He bent at the hip, as if telling the Queen a very devious little secret.

Kalin's head snapped to glare at him, pinched eyes narrowing as she processed just what the deviant was saying.

He nodded, his smirk widening, curling wolfishly, "There is an abandoned mine in the Auroran desert that holds enough materials to benefit the whole kingdom. Let us employ Kalin and her... people to gather what resources there may be. That can be their payment!"

Kalin's whole body turned, and she approached him, staring up into Reaver's face with a ferocity that Naveena had expected of her. She stuck her finger into his face, "You are talking about forced labor!"

Reaver looked at her with an almost bored stare, and pushed Kalin's hand out of his face, "Well, let's not get bogged down in semantics... It's a fair transaction."

Kalin turned looking almost hopelessly up at Naveena, "I know you will not break your oath. You understand what we have been through!"

From her side, Walter said, nodding, "The choice is yours, Your Majesty."

Naveena didn't need a single second to decide, "I will keep my promise. Aurora will become part of Albion, and its people will be our equals in every way."

There were ecstatic cheers from the Auroran representatives that had joined the audience, and a wide, almost uncharacteristic smile broke out across Kalin's face. She was almost trembling.

Walter nodded, smiling, "The Queen has spoken."

Kalin gave her a long, low bow, "Thank you, Your Majesty! You have proven to be a woman of honor. Aurora is proud to stand by your side."

Reaver snorted, and Naveena was watching him very carefully, gauging his reaction. This was a decision that was putting them below the deficit, but she was in no position to deny Aurora something as needed as a place in the kingdom. But she wasn't going to deny that she didn't get at least a small amount of gratification from annoying Reaver.

"Court is dismissed." She said, rising from the throne. The people began to file out of the rooms.

That was when the gunshot rang.

So... I'm a little late to the party, but I recently found out a new Fable game was coming out. Fable: The Journey. And boy! Was I excited.

And then I watched the trailer. And got a little more excited.

And then I decided to do a little research to find out when it was coming out.

It was right about then that I learned it was Kinect only.

I was just about ready to throw my laptop across my room. Fuck you, Molyneux. Just... fuck you.

...I'm probably going to get it anyway.

On a lighter note, I am considering doing a prequel for Sparrow, much like Modus Vivendi, cataloging her rise to power. (Thanks to ChaosMorning for sending me this particular idea!) Which depends on whether or not people would like to see one. (I'm really starting to enjoy my particular version of Sparrow. Not gonna lie.)

REVIEW PLZ. :-D Cause... y'know. Feedback is appreciated!