Chapter 14: The City that Tempted Fate Part 3: The Bright Lights of Goldpaw
The following morning
"Luck not be on our side this mornin', mateys," Batu informed them after they'd eaten breakfast. "The winds be against us again, an'take a look at the sky up ahead."
An ugly, black cloud was rolling in over Goldpaw, blanketing the city in shafts of precipitation. "Rain," Roland sighed.
"Aye."
"We were so close," Evan lamented.
"So what do we do?" Tani asked.
"That be up to you, Yer Majesty," Batu said to Evan. "We can be choosin' to wait it out, or we can be gettin' as far as we can afore the rains hit us."
"It looks to be about another day of walking," Aranella observed. "If we left now, we could be in Goldpaw by evening."
"But we'll get soaked," Evan objected.
"If we walked through the rain then yes we would," she agreed. "But we have a change of clothes with us. And I'm sure there'd be somewhere in Goldpaw where we could dry off and get changed."
"And eat, mun!" Lofty added enthusiastically.
She chuckled. "Indeed."
Tani folded her arms. "Is food all you think about, Lofty?"
"Not just food, mun. I think of eating the food as well, like."
Evan, Aranella and the higgledies laughed as Tani snarked. "The almighty Kingmaker of the Cradle of Light, everyone."
"Will the sky skimmers be all right in the rain?" Roland asked.
"Aye," Batu assured him. "They be built to withstand all sorts o'weather. Pilotin'em durin' all sorts o'weather be another matter."
"Right…" He turned to Evan. "It's up to you, Evan. What should we do?"
"Well? Um…"
"The longer we wait around, the longer we drag this out. It's not raining right now, and who knows? Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll have rained itself out by the time it gets to us. Or. Maybe it'll rain for three days straight leaving us waiting around for three days."
Evan hummed in agreement. He looked up and gazed across at the city. "Let's go."
"Aye, aye," they replied. They packed up camp and moved out. The path to Goldpaw led them along the coast and trees that resembled weeping willows with glowing, purple leaves began dotting the environment. They crested a hill and paused to take in the view.
Sand stretched before them. Neatly spaced furrows in the sand and the numerous, clean cut bamboo stalks housing a burning candle providing illumination, indicated that this probably wasn't a natural occurrence. Was this some kind of giant zen garden, Roland wondered. All of a sudden the heavens opened and the candles sputtered out one by one.
"Look ahead. You see that?" Roland pointed. Through the downpour, the lights of Goldpaw could just about be made out. "It's not far now, let's keep going." So they grit their teeth and kept walking. By the time they arrived at the bridge spanning the lake that sat before Goldpaw, night was setting in and the rain had eased off. "All right, we're here."
"I'm soaked," Evan complained.
"We all are," Aranella replied.
"We'll need to leave the sky skimmers behind while we go and investigate," said Roland.
"But what about Chingis?" Evan objected. "That means we'll have to leave him behind as well."
"We'll figure out what do with the skimmers and Chingis when or if we find somewhere to stay. We may be out of luck and everywhere is full."
"I'll be fine, Yer Majesty," Chingis assured him. "I'll go ahead n'pitch meself a tent while I wait'ere," he added.
"Are you sure?" Evan asked.
"Aye. I'm sure."
"Well… all right. If we find somewhere to stay, or something to eat, we'll come back for you."
"Thank ye, Yer Majesty."
"There's one more thing we need to discuss before we head in," said Roland. "Evan, I noticed you used your full name when we spoke to Niall. The greenlings are one thing, but it won't be the same here. From posts made on Leafbook it's very clear that Goldpaw is on the network, which means they'll have heard about the coup. Now there's no mention anywhere of you being half human and there certainly weren't any pictures of you making the rounds, but they'll know who King Evan is. And I would assume the Royal Family – sorry – previous Royal Family of Ding Dong Dell as well. You can't be King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum while in Goldpaw, all right?"
"Aye," Batu agreed. "'E be'avin' a point there. Ye'll need to be choosin' yerself a new name afore we go in."
"Right… um…"
"Don't you worry youerself, Evan," said Lofty. "I've got one for you. Follow me you lot."
"Lofty wait!" Roland demanded. "Tell us before you-" But Lofty was already crossing the bridge to Goldpaw, leaving them no choice but to follow. The bridge had been assembled from blocks of stone, and lanterns that had been carved from the same stone had been set along the walls at intervals, providing illumination for the journey across. Two soldiers were standing guard at the city entrance gate. They were wearing bronze coloured armour and were… wait. Were they… dog people? As they got closer, the answer became clear. Yes. Yes they were. Dogs in Goldpaw? Cats and mice in Ding Dong Dell? Whatever was next? Bird people? The guards crossed their spears when they got close, blocking the way forward. "Halt, travellers. What business do you have in Goldpaw?" One demanded. They spoke in yet another accent entirely.
"Oi!" Lofty objected. "Show some respect, mun. This is King Ivan Pennybristle Doldrum youe're talking to-" Roland face-palmed so forcefully that his palm met his face with an audible smack. The higgledies laughed while the others did their best to stifle their chortles. "-and I'm his Kingmaker, Lofty." The guards were taken aback, so Lofty said. "Show'em the wand, Ivan."
"R… right." So he did.
The two guards conferred with each other. "That's a kingsbond all right," one muttered.
"Which makes him a real king."
They straightened up before bowing. "Begging your pardon, Your Majesty, we had no idea who you were. What country are you from, if we may ask?"
"It doesn't have a name yet," Evan replied. "We've just started out, you see."
"I see. And what brings you to our fair nation?"
Roland stepped in. "Actually we're here on behalf of Niall."
Immediately their demeanours brightened. "Niall you say?"
"That's right."
"Well why didn't you say so in the first place? Niall is well known in Goldpaw and any friend of his is a friend of ours. He is all right, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he's fine. There was something he wanted us to do here."
They stepped aside. "Then welcome to Goldpaw, Envoys of Niall. Lady Luck has smiled upon your arrival today, my friends. You have arrived at a most auspicious time indeed."
"Why's that?"
"When the clock strikes nine, Master Pugnacious will be announcing the tax rate for the month in Fortune Square."
Roland looked up at what he assumed to be "the clock". It was a giant clock tower with four clock faces on each side and was so tall that it would be easily visible from every part of the city. At the very top of this clock tower was a statue of a golden dragon with a red mane and five tails, presumably this nation's Kingmaker. The clocks read half past seven.
"Looks like we have some time to get changed, and maybe get something to eat."
"The Dreaming Camomile Inn is just up the way. You can talk to the proprietress about renting some rooms. As for food, there are a number of vendors selling food along the way."
Tani put her hands on her hips. "Since Ev-uh-Ivan's royalty, shouldn't that mean we're entitled to an escort?"
"That's fine," Roland cut in. "We don't need an escort. Though a map might be useful."
"Yes, of course. A moment." The guard disappeared into the nearby guardhouse and reappeared with a map in hand. "Here you are. I've marked out the Inn and Fortune Square for you."
"Thanks." He studied the map for a moment before announcing, "Let's go."
"Enjoy your stay in Goldpaw, friends."
"Thank you, we will," Evan replied politely.
"Ivan Pennybristle Doldrum, really?" Roland repeated once they were out of earshot of the guards.
"It's perfect, mun!" Lofty replied brightly. "They didn't suspect a thing."
"And we were fortunate they didn't," said Aranella.
"I suppose it be too late te change it now?" Batu asked.
"I'm sure the guards would find it strange if they caught wind of another royal entering Goldpaw, one they didn't happen to grant entry to," Roland confirmed.
"Aye. It looks like ye bein' King Ivan from now on then, Yer Majesty."
"All right."
"And we should all try to remember that," Aranella added.
"By the way, what was that about, Roland?" Tani asked. "Why don't we need an escort?"
"Niall sent us here to see if Pugnacious was broken hearted. The guards just told us that he'll be appearing in Fortune Square to announce the tax rate. That sounds like a public announcement, which means we won't need to gain an audience with him. And if he isn't broken hearted, we'll be able to leave right afterwards, or at least figure out what we're going to do next."
"And if he is?"
"Then we'll still need to figure out what we're going to do next," he said and looked ahead, the sight that awaited making him grind to a halt. Goldpaw was gorgeous, there was no denying that, but that wasn't what had made Roland loose his forward momentum. Many of the lights were candlelit lanterns, but just as many were unmistakably electric. Apparently Goldpaw had discovered a way to harness the power of electricity, and not just that but neon lighting as well. Two blazing pink dragons atop two enormous paper lanterns flanked the archway ahead, and spotlights swept back and forth in the distance. The city was awash with colours.
"Gosh…" Evan mumbled.
"I'd heard Goldpaw was showy, but… blimey…" Tani agreed.
"I've never seen so much light," said Aranella. "This is nothing like Dell."
"Beautiful, en't it? And look at all those dragons, mun. These people sure do know how to decorate, like. I think I'm gonna like it here."
"What do we know about Goldpaw?" Roland asked.
"Not much truth be told. Ye'ear tales o'Goldpaw bein' very… extravagant. And if the stories be true, all the casinos'ere are state-owned. Must be earnin'em a fortune."
"So the casinos are run by the government, huh? … Interesting." Interesting was putting it lightly. "Anyway let's go. We have some time but not a lot."
"Right," they chorused. As they walked up the street, the dogfolk stared at them as they passed.
"It doesn't look there are many humanfolk here," Aranella remarked.
"And we're soaking wet as well," Tani added. "We must look like a right sorry sight." They passed several shops selling various merchandise that caught their eye. "Look at all this stuff. Isn't it pretty?"
"It is," she agreed, just as fascinated.
But Batu turned his nose up them and muttered, "Bah. They be tacky is what they is."
The signs above these shops were in yet another foreign alphabet, yet Roland was greatly surprised to find that he could read this language as well. But he thought it best to keep that to himself this time unless absolutely necessary, as he had no justification for this after all. And he also wasn't yet sure if the others were able to read it either. As they passed several restaurants and tea houses, the air became filled with the smell of food being cooked. Lofty inhaled deeply. "Smell that, mun!"
"Smells delicious," said Evan.
"It does," Tani added.
"Let's focus on our priorities," Roland reminded them. "We need a change of clothes right now more than we need something to eat." They stopped before the doors to the Dreaming Camomile Inn. "Ugh, wait!"
All faces turned to Roland. "What is it, Roland?" Evan asked.
"We don't have any money…"
"Oh…" The others collectively groaned.
"That puts renting a room off the table," said Aranella.
"And eating," Tani added.
"We're Envoys of Niall though, mun," said Lofty. "And royalty. Surely they'll give us some freebies."
Roland folded his arms. "Well I doubt that, but… We can manage without renting some rooms, what we really need is somewhere to dry off and change. Maybe they'll give us that much."
"I suppose we'll see," said Aranella. They stepped inside.
The proprietress was an elderly dogfolk woman. She looked up and smiled as they approached. "Arf, arf arf! Greetings, travellers, and welcome to the Dreaming Camomile Inn. I am Lady Pekingese, how can I help you today?"
"Hi we're-" Roland began but the proprietress cut him off.
"Arf! Why goodness me. You're all soaked to the bone!"
"Yeah, that's kind of why we're here. We don't have any money to rent a room, but we were hoping we'd be able to dry off and change somewhere."
"Well-"
Lofty cut her off before she say anything further. "Just so as you know, like, this is King Ivan Pennybristle Doldrum-" Roland sighed. "-of a brand new Kingdom to Come, mun, and we're Envoys of Niall."
"A king you say? And Envoys of Niall?"
"That's right. Show her, Ivan."
"All right. This is my Royal Wand, and the token from Niall."
"Arf, arf! Any friend of Niall's is a friend of ours, Your Majesty. And I'm not so heartless as to force someone – especially two children – to walk around while soaked to the bone, even in these trying times. Very well. The bathing area is down the corridor to the left, you can dry off and get changed in there."
"Thank you ever so much," said Aranella.
"Arf! You are very welcome."
The bathing area had enough rooms for all of them, so they disappeared into their chosen room and reappeared in their change of clothes with Aranella, Evan and Roland returning to their Dellian outfits. She stared down at her maid uniform and sighed. "Unfortunately I didn't have the time to grab the rest of my clothes, otherwise this would be the last thing I'd wear again."
"Maybe we could get some more while we're here?" Tani suggested. "I'd love a Goldpaw outfit myself."
"We don't have any money remember," Roland reminded her.
"And that not be why we're'ere," Batu added.
"Oh. Right."
"When we do get some money, we could always come back," said Aranella.
"Yeah! I'd like that."
"Oh me too," Evan agreed.
"And me!" Lofty added.
"Let's see if we can get something to eat before we worry about that," said Roland. "We've got about an hour before the announcement, and we don't want to miss it."
"Aye," Batu agreed. "Ye'ear tales of Goldpaw makin' their food with spices, spices what be burnin' yer tongue and warmin' yer insides. If that be true, I could sure be doin' with sumthin' like that after bein' drenched like we was."
"I think we all could," Aranella replied.
They thanked the proprietress for her kindness and were about to leave when Evan stopped and ran back. "You were ever so kind, Lady Pekingese. Is there something we can do for you?"
"Arf, arf! Actually, I was thinking about that, and I believe there is. You're from Ding Dong Doll originally aren't you?"
"That's right."
"Do you have any recipes you could share with me?"
"What about your stew, Aranella?" Tani suggested. "It was delicious."
"Well… I suppose it can't hurt." She wrote down the recipe with a pencil and on a slip paper supplied by Lady Pekingese. "Here you are."
"Arf, arf, arf! Thank you most kindly. I look forward to making this very much. And should you come into some money in future, you're all welcome to stay here anytime."
"Thank you!" Evan replied.
"Now let's go find something to eat," said Roland.
They entered the first restaurant they came across. A dogfolk waiter greeted them at the door. "Greetings, travellers. It is most unusual to see humanfolk in Goldpaw. And what fascinating accents you all have. Have you come from very far?"
"You could say that," Roland replied.
"We're from Ding Dong Dell," Evan supplied.
"And we're from Cloudcoil Canyon," Tani added.
"And you, sir?"
"Uh. Broadleaf. Originally."
"Longfang's scales, that is very far indeed. What brings you all the way to Goldpaw, if I might ask?"
"We're here on behalf of Niall," Roland explained.
"Niall you say?"
"That's right, mun. And this hyur's King Ivan Pennybristle Doldrum of a brand new Kingdom to Come, and I'm his Kingmaker, Lofty."
"Visiting royalty? And Envoys of Niall? Lady Luck has smiled upon me today! What can I get for you, Your Majesty?"
They exchanged grimaces. "Well, actually…" Evan trailed off.
"We be a bit strapped fer cash ye see," Batu explained.
The waiter's expression faded a little. "I see… well of course any friend of Niall's is a friend of ours. And we would usually be honoured to serve visiting royalty. But I'm afraid that money is just too tight these days to allow me to do so on the house."
"Oh dear," said Aranella sympathetically. "We're sorry to hear that."
"The proprietress of the Dreaming Camomile Inn said something similar. Has business not been going well for you guys of late?" Roland asked.
"It's not that, it's the tax rate you see. For the past two months the tax rate has been at it's highest ever."
He frowned. "And why is that?"
"It is as Lady Luck has decreed." They exchanged confused looks. "All will be explained at the announcement of next month's tax rate. I trust you'll be attending?"
"Yeah, we'll be there."
"Then perhaps I will see you there."
"Sure. But we're not necessarily asking for a freebie. Is there some work we could do for food?"
"One or two of you perhaps. Not for all five."
"Right… Well, we'll see what the other places have to say. If we end up having to work for a meal in different places, one or two of us will return. Is that all right?"
"Yes, that is acceptable. May Lady Luck smile upon you, Envoys of Niall."
It was the same story everywhere else they went, until they checked out the Sweet Saffron Tea Shop.
"Tell you what," said Mistress Chow Chow. "We offer a delivery service as well as our takeaway and eat in, and one of my workers has gone sick. If you cover his delivery round, I'll pay you in food. Of course I realise you're new to Goldpaw, so I'll also give you the directions to each address so you know where you're going. How does that sound?"
"That sounds fair," said Roland.
"Here's the catch. To save on ingredients, you can only all have the same dish, so you'll have to choose one that you'll all want to eat."
"Understandable."
"I'll get the delivery orders going while you choose what you want to eat. Here's our menu."
"What about Chingis?" Evan asked.
"Oh, right. One of our number is waiting outside the city, so we're actually seven people eating, not six."
"Understood, I'll cook up enough to feed seven then."
"Thanks."
As she disappeared into the kitchen, they crowded around the menu. "We want sumthin'ot," Batu insisted.
"But not too hot," said Aranella.
"We also don't want to be ordering something expensive," Roland added. "That wouldn't be fair."
"What about this?" Tani asked and pointed. "Hot Streak Spicy Noodles. It doesn't look like it's too spicy, or expensive. And the serving size looks big enough for dinner."
"Oh that does look good," said Evan.
"It sure does. Are we all in agreement then?" Roland asked. There was a chorus of confirmation. "Lofty?"
"I'll eat whatever you put down in front of me, mun," Lofty replied with a wide beam.
"Right, of course," he said as the others chuckled. "What about you guys?"
The higgledies shook their heads. "Higgle pig hig."
"They say thanks but they don't eat," Lofty translated.
"You're sure?"
"Higgle."
"All right then."
Mistress Chow Chow reappeared. "The orders are being cooked. Have you decided what you'll be eating?"
"We would like the Hot Streak Spicy Noodles please," said Evan.
She beamed. "An excellent choice. But as you're new to Goldpaw, I can offer you a version that is mildly spicy if you're not accustomed to regularly consuming hot food."
"Please," said Roland.
"Very well. They should be ready for you by the time you've finished making all the deliveries."
"Great, thanks." He glanced at the clock tower. "Will it be possible to get that to go?"
She did the same. "Yes of course. I wouldn't want you to miss the announcement after all." She pulled out a pencil and some paper. "Now while we're waiting, I'll draw you a map of all of the points of delivery so you know where to deliver them."
Once the delivery orders were ready, they split into three teams – Evan with Lofty and Aranella, Tani with Batu and Roland with the higgledies – in order to tackle the deliveries quickly and efficiently and set off, armed with the directions Mistress Chow Chow had scribbled for them. By the time they had all returned to the tea house, there was only ten minutes remaining on the clock, and the streets were already crowded with dogfolk as they began making their way to Fortune Square to hear the announcement.
"Here you are, as promised," said Mistress Chow Chow as she set their spicy noodles down before them. They had been packaged in white, cardboard carry packages that were about lunchbox sized.
"Great, thanks," said Roland. "Runcible, Wiff-waff? Do you think you could take one to Chingis?"
"Higgle!" Runcible replied.
"He said yes," Lofty translated.
"Who are you talking to?" Mistress Chow Chow asked, her expression puzzled with a hint of concern.
"Higgledies," Roland explained. "You uh… probably can't see them."
"I see…" She replied in a tone that suggested even greater concern.
"Also Runcible, Wiff-waff. You're probably better off waiting for us with Chingis, all right? We wouldn't want you to get lost looking for us."
"Higgle." They saluted, then picked up the lunchbox between them and scurried off with it. As they zoomed away, Mistress Chow Chow did a double take, realising that Roland hadn't been kidding.
"Anyway we should start heading up there ourselves. We've got less than ten minutes."
"Right," they chorused. They all grabbed their lunchboxes and fell in with the crowd.
"Look at all these people," said Tani. "We wouldn't've even needed the map to find our way after all."
"Yeah," Roland agreed. "Though I would've liked to have gotten there sooner but… I guess it couldn't be helped."
They filed through the gates to Fortune Square with the rest of crowd and managed to secure a place at the front. Their attention was immediately arrested by the square's centrepiece; An enormous statue. "What the devil be that?" Batu uttered, as Roland wondered the same. The statue had humanoid features but otherwise wasn't humanfolk; It had deep blue skin for a start, red hair, cat like ears and no less than six arms. Its upper hands were raised to the heavens, its middle pair clutched a pair of bells, and its lower pair held a dice in each. Was this their Kingmaker, he wondered as he looked from the statue to the dragon atop the clock tower and back, now thoroughly confused.
"I see your confusion, my friend," said a helpful dogfolk man. "That statue atop the clock tower is our Kingmaker, Longfang. This," he gestured to the statue. "Is Lady Luck, our Lady of Fortune, of which our beloved Kingmaker is an agent."
"We were told that Lady Luck determined the tax rate but they didn't explain how. Could you perhaps shed some light on this?"
"Oh but of course. Every month Lady Luck rolls the dice you see in Her hands to determine the tax rate for the coming month. Should-"
"Hold on. You mean it moves?"
"Oh yes, that is no mere statue. It is an elaborate automaton that was constructed at the founding of Goldpaw, in the image of our fair Lady of Fortune."
"Golly!" Evan exclaimed. "I can't wait to see it in action."
"Me too!" Added Tani.
"In a moment you shall!"
"You were saying?" Roland prompted.
"Ah yes. Should She roll a One, we pay no taxes at all."
"None at all?" He asked with a frown. "For a whole month?"
"Indeed! But alas, for the past two months she has rolled Sixes."
"Which means?"
"The taxes increase sixfold."
"Sixfold!" The party exclaimed.
"How could anyone afford such a rate?" Aranella gasped.
"It has been difficult, I must confess, and I cannot say a One would not be unwelcome at this time, but such are the vagaries of fortune. And without fortune, what is Goldpaw?"
"Taxation based on a dice roll seems a little… irresponsible…" Roland commented neutrally.
"Well, it is easy for one who does not live here to be so readily dismissive of our ways, but that is the way it has been since Goldpaw was founded, and many centuries have passed since then. Lady Luck has never lead us astray before, and She will not do so now."
"Well all right… if you say so."
The crowd suddenly began murmuring excitedly. "At last, it is time!" One exclaimed.
"Ah, and here is Master Pugnacious now."
A portly dogfolk man flanked by a dogfolk woman approached Lady Luck. Roland wasn't terribly knowledgeable when it came to breeds of dogs – although most of the dogfolk of Goldpaw seemed like mongrels anyway, the woman being no exception – but Pugnacious was clearly a pug and the pun made him inwardly groan. He was dressed in dark green robes of the finest silk with a moon and star emblem embroidered on the front in gold thread, while the woman was garbed in purple with the emblem embroidered in silver, and in his hand he held a staff of gold topped with a single large dice. He ascended the wooden steps leading up to the dais upon which Lady Luck sat and bowed, and a hush descended upon the audience. "Lady of Fortune!" He cried, raising his hands – and staff – aloft. "May luck be on our side this month!" He gripped the staff with both hands and with a light thunk, it struck the wood beneath his feet. There was a moment of silence, then, with a mechanical whirring, Lady Luck began to move.
"Gosh look at that!" Evan exclaimed.
"Amazing!" Tani agreed.
"What a sight, mun!" Lofty added.
The automaton raised the left hand that held the dice and then dropped it. The dice hit the dais with a heavy thud and the audience watched with baited breath as the dice rolled and settled on… a fi-no! Another six! There was a great cry of shock and dismay.
"And I was certain our luck had turned," the dogfolk man beside them sighed.
Even the dogfolk woman seemed surprised by this turn of events. "Another Six?" She muttered to herself.
"What was that mun?!" Lofty exclaimed. "That dice has a mind of its own!"
"You guys saw that too right?" Roland asked, his voice low. "That dice was clearly about to land on a five, wasn't it?"
"It was," said Aranella, her expression a troubled frown.
"Saw it plain as day," said Batu. His arms were crossed and his expression was a scowl.
"Yeah, me too," said Tani.
"Um. What does it mean?" Evan asked.
"It be meanin' sumthin' fishy be goin' on is what."
"The taxes for the month will increase sixfold!" Pugnacious declared. "Tighten your belts and trust to Lady Luck, fellow citizens of Goldpaw. All will be well!" With woeful mumbling, the crowd began to disperse.
"Another Six, Master Pugnacious?" The dogfolk woman spoke once the Grand High Roller had descended the steps. "Can Goldpaw really handle such a tax rate for the third time in a row?"
"I share in your concern, Ya Ya," he replied. "But all is as the Mistress of Fortune wills it, and she has never lead us wrong before."
"No, I… I suppose not… Very well," she said, though reluctantly. "I will trust to Lady Luck."
"It is all we can do in these trying times." They departed, with Ya Ya sparing a final look back at the automaton before falling in behind.
The party moved out of the way of the still dispersing crowd. "So, Lofty," said Tani. "That was Master Pugnacious. Did he look broken-hearted to you?"
"I'm afraid so, mun. And the missing piece is restraint."
They all sighed. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that," said Aranella.
"That's only the half of it, like."
"What do you mean?" Roland asked.
"You remember what I said about pieces of heart, and broken heartedness right? Well, if a broken heart is left broken for too long, something called a nightmare will begin to grow in the space left behind."
"That sounds… unpleasant," Roland remarked.
"It sure is. But… that's not what's happening hyur, see. Instead of a nightmare, there's just… darkness. But it's functioning as if it's another piece of ambition."
"So he's what? Got double the ambition?" Tani asked.
"Double the ambition and no restraint!"
"That complicates things," said Roland. "And what exactly caused his broken heart in the first place?"
"No clue, mun! Once upon a time there was a nasty wizard who could break a person's heart whenever he liked; He just reached inside them and tore a piece out. But he's long gone see, and the heart can break on its own like, but that's rare, mun. It takes a really strong surge of emotion to do that."
"I see…"
"So what does this mean, Lofty?" Evan asked.
"I'm afraid it means that fixing him up isn't going to be as simple as we first thought. The darkness in his heart is there for a reason see, but did it cause his heart to break, or did his broken heart let it in? Cause if it broke his heart in the first place, then it needs to come out now doesn't it? Or it'll go breaking all over again."
"Seems like there's more to all this than what we can see," said Roland. "Which means we'll need to investigate. But before we do, Evan, you'll need to understand what that will entail. We'll be interfering with the affairs of another nation. Depending on what we find there may very well be consequences, not just for the people of Goldpaw but for us as well. Are you prepared to take that risk? To accept what will follow?"
"Well… Um… It looked like there was something going on with the dice. And Pugnacious is broken hearted and missing his restraint. So it seems to me… as if the two are connected… right?"
"Go on?"
"So… what if Pugnacious did something to the dice roll? If that's true, then… then he's been stealing from his citizens! We cannot stand by and allow that to continue. We must find out what's happening, especially if we can make things right."
"That's the spirit, Evan!" Lofty praised.
"Yeah!" Tani agreed. "I knew you'd say that."
"As did I," said Aranella with a proud smile.
Roland nodded. "Than that's what we'll do."
A/N: So here is where I reveal what the corruption actually is this time around. What it does in canon was actually pretty consistent but what it was, was super vague and undefined. So I defined it this time by turning it into a form of broken heartedness, neatly bringing back a concept from the first game and making Lofty being a faery have a purpose.
The party also notice the dodgy dice roll this time around instead of being inexplicably oblivious.
And as you may have noticed, Doloran, who had no business being in Goldpaw in the first place, has been subsequently removed. This has allowed Pugnacious to flourish as character, though you won't be seeing that for a few chapters.