Warnings: Consumption of alcohol.

Chapter 9: The Kingdom to Come Part 6: The Feast

Chingis and Khunbish were entertaining themselves by skimming pebbles across the water. Runcible was helping them by gathering pebbles with which to skim. He returned from a scavenging mission and held up the pebble he had found for Chingis to inspect.

"Ah, well done, Runcible," Chingis grinned to the pebble that to him was being suspended in the air by an invisible force. "That be a fine pebble indeed."

"Higgle!" Chingis took the pebble carefully from Runcible and with a flick of his wrist, sent it skipping across the water's surface. It bounced one, two, three, four, five! Five times before disappearing into the sea. "Higgledy pig!" Runcible cheered and as Chingis exclaimed "Ha-har!" and pumped his fists in triumph.

"Not bad, matey, not bad," Khunbish conceded. "But watch this." With a flick of his wrist, he sent another pebble skimming and they counted each bounce aloud. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five? Six? Seven?" The pebble disappeared below the waves after that. "Seven!" Khunbish threw his arms up in victory as Chingis clapped him on the back.

"Good throw, matey, good throw." Runcible cheered again and dashed off to find another.

"Chingis! Khunbish!" Tani announced their return, and they turned to face her.

"Ah, ye've returned I see," said Khunbish. He looked left then right before raising an eyebrow in questioning. "I don't be seein' no Kingmaker, so… t'idn't go well I take?"

"Oi!" Lofty objected and they both looked down. "Look again, pal! I'm right here!"

"Well bless me beard!" Chingis exclaimed, his hands going to his hips.

Khunbish's eyes went wide, then he looked up, raising his fists in excitement. "Ye-ye passed the test?! Truly?!"

"I did!" Evan replied happily with a nod for emphasis. "Here's my Royal Wand," he continued, holding it proudly aloft. "The wand over which Lofty and I swore our pact." The wand began to glow with the unmistakeable light of a kingsbond.

"It be true then," he uttered in awe, allowing his hands to fall to his sides.

"And this is my Kingmaker, Lofty," he introduced, gesturing to Lofty at his feet. "The Kingmaker of the Cradle of Light."

Khunbish sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, beggin' yer pardon, Master Lofty. We were expectin' someone… someone… er…" He looked to Chingis for assistance.

"We were expectin' someone less vertically challenged than yerself," Chingis supplied.

He nodded. "Aye."

"The rotten cheek!" Lofty raged, raising his tiny fists in indignation. "Youe're the ones who're vertically challenged!"

Tani and Evan both laughed as the two pirates exchanged looks. "Well ye'ave yerself some spirit at least, there be no denyin' that." Lofty humphed.

Runcible returned with another pebble. He dropped it upon sighting Lofty and ran over to meet him. "Higgledy pig!"

Lofty turned to face him, his outrage evaporating to be replaced by his usual cheer. "Howdy do!"

"This is Runcible," Evan explained. "He's the higgledy I was telling you about earlier. Runcible, this is Lofty, my Kingmaker."

"Higgle!"

Lofty placed his hands on his hips. "I've got a question for you, pal. Where'd you get that old wand?"

Runcible tilted his head to one side in questioning. "Higgle?"

"The stick you gave Evan."

He straightened up in realisation. "Higgle! Higgle pig, pig pig higgle."

"You traded for it?"

He nodded. "Hig."

"So you've no idea where the other higgledy found it?"

He shook his head. "Higgle pig. Higgle, higgle, pig pig pig."

Lofty folded his arms. "So neither of you had any idea what it was, you both just liked the look of it?"

He nodded again. "Hig."

"Oh well," Lofty shrugged dismissively. "I suppose that will just have to remain a mystery then won't it?"

"Higgle." Runcible shrugged as well, but in apology.

"You understood all of that?" Roland asked, gesturing to Runcible with one eyebrow quirked in questioning.

"I sure did, mun," he nodded. "Higgledies speak from the heart, see," he placed a hand on his heart. "And us faeries are well versed in matters of the heart."

"I thought you were a Kingmaker," said Tani, arms folded across her chest.

"I'm both!"

"Now that ye be'avin' what ye came'ere te find, be we all ready to return?" Chingis asked. A chorus of affirmation was the reply. "Then let's be off." They all climbed onto the sky skimmers and took off, one after the other, with Lofty perched on Evan's shoulder. As they flew away across the sea, Lofty looked back at the retreating island with a sombre expression. "This time… will be different," he vowed to himself.

"Are you all right, Lofty?" Evan shouted over the wind.

Lofty turned to him with a smile. "Don't worry about me, Evan. I was just feeling a little… nostalgic is all." Evan nodded, and they both turned their eyes forward.

As soon as the sky skimmers had touched down, Chingis and Khunbish hopped off and began shouting at the gathered crowed. "Make way, make way ye scurvy dogs! King Evan'as returned!"

Batu pushed his way to the front, "Move aside, blast ye!" When he was standing before the party, he hollered at the crowd to pipe down before turning back and folding his arms. "Well mateys, do what I be'earin' be true then? The little lad'as impressed'imself the Kingmaker o'the Cradle of Light?"

"I have!" Evan confirmed brightly. "Look!" He held up the Royal Wand as confirmation and they all gasped when it glowed gold.

Batu's eyes went wide and his arms fell to his sides. "Blessed be!" He looked around before looking to Evan with a confused frown. "Where be your Kingmaker then, lad?"

"Oi!" Lofty objected, his hands on his hips. "I'm down by hyur, mun."

Batu looked down and his eyes went wide again. "This be him?"

"I just said I am didn't I?!"

"His name is Lofty," Evan supplied.

"Well." Batu placed a hand on one hip and rubbed at his chin with the other. "'E's a little… little, ain't'e?"

"Says you, pipsqueak!" Lofty shrieked in indignation as Runcible laughed.

"He may be small now-" Aranella began.

"Don't you start!"

"-But he will grow in both size and power as our kingdom grows."

"Arr. I see," Batu replied sounding more assured, as he placed his other hand on his hip. "So this… diminutive stature be only temporary."

"Yes," she replied with a chuckle over Lofty's objections.

"Well. We be'avin' some good news in that respect. We were'oldin' a meetin' while ye were away, and we came to a decision." He looked Evan directly in the eyes as he said, "We all wish te join ye, lad."

Evan's ears pricked up and his eyes went wide with surprise. "Y-you do?"

Tani punched his arm with a victorious smirk and he clutched it with a yelp. "Told you."

"With the wyverns in disarray and focused on internal affairs," Batu spread his hands, "what better time to leave the Canyon fer greener pastures, o'the figurative and literal kind?"

"Exactly what I said."

Roland folded his arms. "So you're giving the Canyon over to the wyverns?" he asked.

"Aye," Batu nodded. "And they be welcome to it. We're done'ere."

He quirked an eyebrow involuntarily. "Then I guess it must be a very cold day in the Summerlands."

Batu chuckled. "Aye. But that were before we had someplace to go and someone to lead us there."

Roland's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his fringe and his hands fell to his sides. "Lead you there? Then you-?"

"Aye." He nodded again and turned to Evan. "King Evan…" He lowered his voice and leaned in to ask. "What be yer full name, lad?"

"Oh, um. It's Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum."

"King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum," Batu continued at full volume after straightening up. "Ye've proven yer strength by slayin' the Wyvern Warlord, and ye've proven yerself worthy o'bein' king by impressin' the Kingmaker o'the Cradle of Light," he spread his hands, "a feat what no Sky Pirate before ye was ever able to accomplish." He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. There was a wave of movement as the rest of the pirates, including Khunbish and Chingis followed suit, while Tani simply grinned at him, her hands placed on her hips and her chest puffed out in triumph. "The people o'Cloudcoil Canyon do'ereby swear fealty to you, yer kingdom, and yer cause." He raised his head and continued. "We serve you now, Yer Majesty."

Evan looked upon his new people in disbelief. "G-gosh… I…" He clutched a hand to his heart. "I don't know what to say…"

"Higgledy pig! Higgledy pig!" Runcible cheered as he leapt up and down.

Roland placed a hand on Evan's shoulder and offered him a smile when Evan turned to face him. "Well done… Evan."

"I'm so proud of you," Aranella added, with both hands clutched to her heart. Evan nodded back, eyes shining in gratitude.

"Oi, what about me, mun?" Lofty objected. "I'm the Kingmaker by hyur!"

"I couldn't have done this without you, Lofty," Evan told him with a smile.

Batu got to his feet and turned to face the pirates. "All right, ye scurvy dogs! Make ready fer a feast! This day calls fer a celebration!" They all cheered and immediately got to work.

"What should we do, Mr Batu?"

Batu held up a hand. "Just Batu is fine, lad. An' I'll'ave ye regale us with the tale o'ye Trial at the feast. Why not think about what ye're going te say? Tani'ere can help ye," he added, gesturing towards her.

"I'll help too!" Lofty chimed in.

"Higgle!" Runcible added.

Evan nodded at them. "All right!"

"Let's go then, Evan." Tani took him by the arm and lead them all away.

"What about us?" Roland asked.

"Put yer feet up the pair o'ye," Batu replied simply, gesturing dismissively. "Ye'll just get in the way."

"Right…" He and Aranella took their seats in the communal area and watched the to-ing and fro-ing as the pirates made ready their feast. It wasn't long before the scent of roasting meat came wafting on the breeze. He pulled his gaze away from the bustle of activity to look to Aranella. "Aranella, can I… talk to you?" He asked, breaking their silence.

Aranella raised an eyebrow at him in questioning and curiosity. "You may. What's this about?"

"I wanted to ask you something. Evan may not want to kill Mausinger, but… what about you?"

Her expression hardened and she looked away to the unlit fireplace in the centre of the communal area. "Mausinger killed my King." She shook her head. "That cannot go unanswered."

He raised an eyebrow. "Even if it's not what Evan wants?"

She looked back. "I told him I wouldn't make him do anything he doesn't want to. But I also told him that we weren't going to leave any loose ends, and if he wouldn't take care of them, I would." She frowned, clutching her hands that were resting in lap together into two fists. "This one just happens to be personal."

"Then what about Ratja?"

She looked up. "You mean assuming he hasn't done anything to her, either?"

"Yeah…" He nodded. "If he hasn't – or even if he has," he added with a shrug, "I don't imagine she'd be very happy to see anything bad happen to him."

"I cannot speak for Ratja," she shook her head. "Only myself."

He leant forward, resting his folded arms on his knees. "So whatever happens, when we return to Ding Dong Dell, Mausinger will die."

She nodded. "By my hand if no one else's."

"I see… Well." He looked away to the fireplace. "Fortunately I'm pretty sure Mausinger isn't gonna let us simply take everyone who wants to leave and walk away, or surrender for that matter, so I think you'll have to."

"And when that time comes, what will you do, Roland?"

He looked back, his expression resolute. "Whatever's necessary. If that means taking Mausinger down," he nodded, "then I will."

Aranella's expression softened. "Even if it's not what Evan wants?"

"Yeah," he nodded again. "Even then. I don't think he's ready," he shook his head, "to be making the hard choices yet, so until he is, it looks like we'll have to."

"Yes," she agreed with an absent nod of her head. "We will…" There was a brief lull in the conversation before she hugged herself and spoke again. "I wasn't sure at first, why you seemed so intent on leading Evan away from Ding Dong Dell. But after what happened today, after the way he…" She trailed off and dropped her gaze, not finishing her sentence. "I think I understand now. I was trying to steer him down the hard path, when really, of the two of us, I'm the one who should be walking it."

"Look, I get that it's your home and you want to protect it, believe me," he placed a hand on his chest, "I really do. But what you were suggesting," he gestured towards her, "was putting Evan back on the throne of Ding Dong Dell, right after the mice would've tasted freedom for the first time in – I would imagine – a very long time. That would've been like walking him back through a mine-… uh… Field of fire."

She grimaced and hugged herself tighter. "Yes… I suppose you're right. I didn't want to accept it at the time," she shook her head absently, "but… you're right. And a brand new kingdom where everyone can be happy, will mean Evan can be happy too."

"Right," he nodded. "And whatever happens to Ding Dong Dell after Mausinger's dead, since it will probably come to that, well…" He shrugged. "I'll guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Yes…" She nodded absently again. Then she raised her head and looked Roland right in the eye. "Roland. Will you… will you make a pact with me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of pact? Just so you know, I'm no Kingmaker."

A brief smile flitted across her face before she was holding out her hand with a resolute expression. "Whatever's necessary."

He gripped her hand and added. "Whatever that may be." They shook on it, then withdrew into themselves and into silence. Yes, he thought to himself. Whatever's necessary to bring my world back.

At last came time for the feast and Roland goggled at the amount of food on display; They'd really gone all out for this celebration. Batu called them over and gave a plate to Evan, one that had been carved from the wood of one of the many dead trees in the Canyon. Evan watched, aghast, as he heaped a mountain of food onto the plate, and he held up his hands in protest. "Oh, I couldn't possibly-"

"Nonsense, lad! Yer our King now," he insisted. "An' yer a growin' laddie te boot."

"Oi!" Lofty objected, glaring up at Batu with hands on hips. "And what about me, youer Kingmaker, eh?"

Batu blinked down at him. "Ah, yes. O'course. Apologies, Master Lofty, yer just so… so, err… so little."

Lofty shook his fists. "The disrespect!"

"An' I also weren't bein' sure in yer needin' food, neither."

He placed his hands on his hips again. "Well you can be sure that I would like some very much."

Batu nodded. "Very well." Another plate was produced for Lofty, and the little Kingmaker directed what food to put on it from Batu's shoulder. Batu then lead them over to a place they could sit and eat and returned with two flagons of ale for Roland and Aranella and two mugs of juice for Evan and Lofty.

"Uh, I don't think we should-" Roland began, holding up a hand in protest.

"Nonsense! This'ere be a celebration. An' we shall be very offended if ye refuse our'ospitality."

He exchanged a look with Aranella who shrugged helplessly. "All right," he sighed before accepting the flagon. "I guess one or two won't hurt."

Batu grinned from ear to ear. "That be the spirit!"

"Ooh! Give me some too, mun," said Lofty eagerly.

Batu's grin vanished to be replaced by a stern expression. "I don't be thinkin' that's a good idea," he replied gruffly.

Lofty placed his hands on his hips. "I'm a thousand years old I'll have you know. Older than all of you put together."

"Aye, I'm sure ye are. But I'll not be allowin'" he shook his head, "fer no influence to be spreadin' to young Evan through the kingsbond."

Lofty threw up his hands in exasperation. "That's not how the kingsbond flippin' works!"

"Still. I've made up me mind." And Lofty's further protests fell on deaf ears.

After eating – and as they digested their food – they sat around the bonfire taking turns to tell their stories, most of which the pirates had probably heard many times before, but were being retold for the benefit of Evan and company. Roland couldn't deny they were highly entertaining, if a little fantastical at times. He politely sipped the ale, intending to stop at one or maybe two, but everytime he thought he was getting close to finishing it, he would pick it up again to find it mysteriously refilled. Eventually he lost track of how much he'd already drunk and began to wonder – as he squinted into the flagon in puzzlement – if he had in actual fact been given a magical never ending flagon… but maybe that was just the alcohol talking. Next to him Aranella was in the process of transforming into a giggling heap snickering into her own flagon, but managed to keep herself under control as Evan's turn to tell a story came around.

"So how'd ye manage to pass the first Trial, lad?" Batu asked, gesturing towards him. "None what tried before ye ever could."

"Gosh, it was ever so hard," Evan replied. "But the whole test was essentially a series of puzzles that used a story, broken into its beginning, middle and end as the clue to solving the puzzles."

"And ye were able to remember the whole passage each time?" He asked sounding as amazed as he was impressed.

"Oh no," he shook his head. "I took the book with me."

"Then how'd ye not get kicked out, lad?" Chingis asked looking baffled.

Evan mirrored his expression. "What do you mean?"

"Every time one o'us tried to take the book with us," he replied, gesturing in explanation, "the Overseer would kick us out fer takin' somethin' what didn't belong te us."

Evan's eyebrows raised in understanding. "Oh." He spread his hands. "I just asked."

"Ye… ye asked?" Khunbish repeated, voicing aloud their collective disbelief at such a simple solution.

"Yes," he nodded. "So the Overseer let me take the book."

Aranella couldn't contain herself any longer, dissolving into peals of laughter as Tani shrugged. "That's us pirates for you. We're used to taking things instead of asking for them."

"So I see," Roland replied neutrally.

Then came the time for dancing. Musicians picked up their instruments and began to play, while others began to sing.

"Evan, let's go!" Tani grabbed his hand and dragged him onto what was rapidly turning into the dance floor.

"But, Tani-!" Evan objected.

"Just follow along!"

"Go on, Evan!" Lofty encouraged.

Aranella was surprised to find Gerel standing before her. Gerel grinned. "I don't suppose ye'd do me the honour o'this dance, Miss Aranella?"

She blinked. "I-I don't know how…"

"Oh, I know. Still I thought ye'd prefer me as yer first dance instead of one of those idiots," she thumbed over her shoulder in the general direction of a group of pirates. In that general direction were Khunbish and Chingis who – to her great amusement – were both red-faced already and were dancing with each other.

"Yes… all right." Aranella took Gerel's hand and allowed herself to be lead onto the dance floor. Roland quietly moved away so he could watch the dancing rather than partake in it; Not that he was disinclined to join were anyone to ask him to, he just wanted to let the alcohol settle first.

"Roland." It was Batu. He raised a bushy eyebrows before asking. "Not joinin' the dance, I take?"

"No-one's asked me yet." He turned to Batu with a playful smile. "Unless you are?"

Batu roared with laughter. "'Fraid not. I've always had two left feet when it comes te that." His smile faded a little as he added, "Me sister loved it, though."

Roland glanced at Tani and Evan. "Tani must take after her, then."

Batu followed his gaze. "Aye," he replied with a touch of sombreness.

"You miss her, huh? In times like this?"

Even more sombrely. "Aye." He folded his arms. "Hard te believe it's already been nearly ten years." There was a pause before he turned back to Roland to ask, "There be anyone yer missin' yerself?" He gestured with his head. "Back in Ding Dong Dell?"

Roland looked away in the kingdom's vague direction. "Not really," he said. "I hadn't been there long enough to get know anyone that well before the coup happened… Perhaps that was for the best."

"Perhaps it were."

There was another lull in the conversation before Roland glanced into his nearly empty flagon. He'd had enough alcohol by now that it was about time for something else. "By the way, do you have any water?"

"Oh aye. I'll be right back." He disappeared into the dark and returned with a mug of water.

Roland received it gratefully and chugged it down. Gerel appeared for the next dance and dragged him away. Tani demanded the next, Aranella asked for the one after that and even Chingis and Khunbish got a dance each – to which he agreed with some amusement. After that, people's names and faces began to blur together. And it was well into the small hours of the morning by the time the celebration wound down. Evan, Tani and the other children – who had all been allowed to stay up way past their bedtimes for the occasion – had already been carried off to bed hours prior, having exhausted their much smaller pools of energy. Roland and Aranella trudged after Batu as he lead them to a pair of hammocks into which they gratefully collapsed, too tired and drunk to pull off their shoes or clothes. So Batu removed their footwear for them and gently tucked them in. "G'night, Roland. Aranella," he said softly. Their reply was an unintelligible mumble.

"Daddy? Daddy?"

"Huh?" Roland raised his head. He was once again back in his Presidential Office, but seated in the chair opposite was not the Conductor. His eyes went as wide as saucers as he sat up straight. "Will! Will? Is that really you?"

Will smiled brightly in confirmation. "Hi, Daddy."

Roland launched out of his chair, rounded the table and William laughed as he scooped him up into a hug. "God, I've missed you."

He hugged him back. "It's okay, Daddy. I'm okay."

Roland pulled away to look at him in amazement and confusion. "You're-… Why aren't you in the hospital?"

William laughed again. "I don't need the hospital, silly."

"I'm afraid he is," the Conductor's words echoed unbidden. "As are many people in your world." Roland swallowed. He set him down gently back in the chair and dropped to one knee, resting a hand on William's shoulder. "What… what happened, Will? What's the last thing you remember?"

Will shrugged apologetically. "I don't really remember anything," he replied.

Roland sighed and dropped his gaze. "Maybe it's best you don't."

"Daddy?"

He looked up. "Yeah, kiddo?"

"Evan seems nice," he said with a smile.

Roland smiled back. "Yeah… He is. In fact, he reminds me a lot of you…"

"I'm glad… So…" Will's smile faded. "Is it really okay?"

He blinked in confusion. "Is what okay?"

"What you're doing?"

"I…" He frowned. "Don't follow."

"Evan thinks you're helping him because you believe in him. Because it's the right thing to do. But," he dropped his gaze briefly, "you're just using him to get back home." He looked up. "So. Is it okay?"

Roland stood. "Oh I see. You're my conscience. Look. Will." He rubbed the side of his neck. "I'm not doing anything to hurt him, so what does it matter," he spread his hands, "if I'm helping him because helping him gets our home back?"

"Would you still have helped him if helping him didn't get our home back?"

He blinked. "Well. I mean… I suppose," he shrugged, "if… there was nothing else to do? But if I could get back home another way then no," he shook his head, "probably not. Our home comes first, Will. I have people counting on me. One of them," he directed a pointed look, "is you."

Will nodded in concession. "I know, Daddy. But… Doesn't that mean that… that Evan's just a means to an end?"

"Well I…" He blinked, and had to give in to the admission that it did. "I guess it does."

"So it is really okay?"

Roland sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Look, Will. If there's one thing you learn about leadership, it's that sometimes you have to make hard choices. If helping Evan," he gestured in explanation, "means getting our home back, then that's what I'm going to do." His expression hardened. "I'm doing what's necessary. For us. So long as Evan doesn't get hurt by it," he spread his hands, "then I'd say it's okay."

William nodded solemnly. "You used to be a lot like him, you know."

Roland looked away. "Yeah, I know. But that was a long time ago."

"Do you think he's going to grow up into the kind of leader that you are, Daddy?"

"Well…" He placed a hand on his hip. "I won't lie, I hope not." He shrugged, "But at the same time I think he kind of has too. Aranella will only be able to shield him from so much. And me, well." He shook his head, "I'm not going to be around for too long."

"Can you do something for me, Daddy?"

Roland's eyebrows raised involuntarily. "Sure, kiddo. What do you want?"

Will titled his head to one side imploringly. "Can you try and help Evan get ready to be a leader before you go?"

He smiled and then nodded. "Sure. I guess it's the least I can do."

"Thanks, Daddy." Will hugged him and Roland hugged back. "It's time for me to go."

"What, already?"

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Daddy. But it looks like it's time for you to wake up now."

Roland became distantly aware of being poked and prodded. "Wha-?" Then he was back in the world of the waking and was hauling his eyes open. For a moment he didn't recognise or remember where he was. "Ah, Roland! Good morning!" A voice with a peculiar accent greeted him brightly. Roland squinted at the red and yellow blob standing on his chest. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and the blob resolved itself into Lofty. Lofty beamed down at him. "Up and at 'em, sunshine! We've lots to do today!"

A/N: IMO the pirates joining up with Evan when they did would've been perfectly acceptable if they'd just leaned on all the right things (taking down the Wyvern Warlord, impressing the Kingmaker of the Cradle of Light, the promise of a new home). That being said I will be expanding on that last point in the following chapters which contain brand new content as I build up to the skirmish with the bandits instead of launching right into it.