Overcoming Destiny

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Wireless communications"

Ch 19

The mad king Joseph stood looking out over his kingdom from his suite when the door to his rooms opened.

"So, what are you thinking of?" A girl about Tabitha's age asked.

"What I'm thinking of isn't for your ears, Isabella." Joseph answered.

"Drat." Isabella stated.

"What I can tell you is that I need you to go and check on your cousin." Joseph said still looking off the balcony.

"Oh, yippee!" She cried clasping her hands together. "This will be fun!"

"Then I expect you'll be gone for some time." Joseph stated as a disguised order.

"Oh yes, I shall have to pack." Isabella said as she curtsied. "I shall be off."

After Isabella left Joseph walked over to a cabinet against the wall. "I really wish that you hadn't left me to clean up your mess brother." Joseph mumbled as he looked over the letter that his brother had left him again. Next to where he had the letter there was three vials that contained a counter agent for something that had one vial left next it. "Now I have to determine how best to tell someone what needs to be done to save my family from this world."

OOooOO

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

The sounds of arrows impacting bodies could be heard throughout the forest surrounding Tarbes.

"Aah! Evil giant mutant squirrels! Die! Die! Die!" Smith cried as he minced a couple of giant squirrel creatures with gleaming red eyes.

His hunting companion loosed an arrow sending it right next to Smith's ear into the eye of the creature behind him.

"Aah! Sinon! Are you trying to kill me?!" He shouted as he felt his ear, turning he looked behind him. "Oh. Thanks, Sinon! You know for not shooting my ear off as you saved my life!"

Absently Sinon sent a blunt tipped arrow at him before ejecting her claws to take down a couple more squirrels.

"Ow! That hurt! I will have words with you later!" He shouted as he threw his sword at a squirrel, just as he got tackled by one. "Oh! You want some of this, eh? Now how do ya like this?" He asked as he proceeded to bash the squirrel's head in, before retrieving his sword. The squirrel attempted to get up. "Eek! Down! Bad squirrel! You evil, vile creature! Stay dead!" Smith cried beating the squirrel down with his sword.

"Are you quite finished yet?" Sinon asked landing after she finished her deadly dance with her prey.

"Not yet." he stabbed it a couple more times. "Double tap! Now I am." He flicked the blood off and sheathed his sword. "And all that without shedding a single drop of blood." Smith added cheerfully.

"Thank you for doing this for us." Siesta stated in gratitude as the pair reentered the village.

"Oh! It was no problem. Looking after the fairer half is the job of any adventurer." Smith said, taking her hand, he bowed, planting a kiss on her hand as he looked up at her.

"What does that make me?" Sinon inquired curiously.

He stood up with a thoughtful expression. "My beautiful and adorable sidekick?"

WHAM. Was the sound everybody else heard and Smith disappeared reappearing next to a tree some distance away. "Now that the mouth is unconscious how is our queen and her consort?"

"Is he going to be all right?" Siesta asked worriedly as she looked to Smith.

"Oh, totally. That was just a love-tap." Smith said dismissively before clasping his face and gasping. "Wait. Does that mean? She loves me! Oh my! You know there's no need to be so forceful about it."

Sinon groaned as she facepalmed.

"Oh that's right. Lady Titania is fine, if not a little tired. Sir Klein on the other hand is glad that his ordeal is over." Siesta said.

"Thank goodness for small favors." Sinon stated with a smile as she had met the man a few times before the transition.

"Yes, thank goodness for little favors, women and wee bairns, for this life would be dull without them." Smith nodded sagely.

"I give up." Sinon said throwing her hands in the air before walking to the house she was staying in as she had had enough of idiots for the day.

"She looked a little tired, don't you think?" Siesta asked turning to Smith.

"Can't imagine why." Smith answered shrugging.

OOooOO

Thinker entered the palace in Yggdrasil city shortly after the message from Titania, Yulier a step behind.

"We're here." Thinker called out.

"Thank you for answering my summons." Titania answered as Thinker noticed a wall of red fur behind her throne.

"Let's get down to business. What'd you summon us for?" Yulier asked.

"Why have you not turned your wife yet? Or do you have incompatible blood types like Kirito and Liz?" Titania asked.

"Actually, I am unsure as to go about it." Thinker rubbed the back of his head. "Though to find out you're one is somewhat of a surprise."

"I'm not the only dragonblooded here." Titania stated as she started counting. "When Yulier finishes her transformation there'll be ten of us." She finished as the wall of fur began moving.

"I need to move, I don't care what you say, holding my wings up like that is starting to give them cramps." Klein rumbled out as he stretched his neck earning a few pops from the vertebrae.

"Klein's one as well?!" Yulier asked in surprise.

"That's unexpected." Thinker said.

"Of course there's no way he'd survive satisfying me, if he wasn't the same species." Titania answered.

"On that note I smell that you could use a work out." Klein stated smugly.

"Not here you walking rug." Titania ground out her face reddening.

Yulier coughed, bringing everyone's attention to her. "I believe we have deviated from our reason for being here." She stated.

"Yes, about that, Yulier, prepare to be more or less bedridden for about six months." Klein said as he looked at her. "Anything else can be explained by your husband."

"That's it?" Yulier asked incredulously.

"It was more so a reason to keep Thinker from hiding his nature any longer." Titania answered. "Tristain knows about us, so no problems."

"Well, that's a relief." Thinker said.

"Now that that's out of the way you two need a full physical before y'all begin and make sure she's at home as well. There's a reason for those houses with the really big rooms." Titania stated dismissing them.

"Ok. I guess we'll be going then." Yulier said as she and Thinker left.

"That was easy." Louise stated sighing as she leaned back into her throne. "Can I retire now?" She asked playfully.

"No you are the chosen leader of our people." Klein answered.

"Don't remind me." Louise mumbled standing and leaving the room Klein lumbering behind her.

OOooOO

Henrietta walked through her castle in Tristain with Agnes on her right a few steps behind.

"Where are we going?" Agnes asked.

"I can't stand being in this castle any longer." Henrietta stated. "I have people that need to be led. I don't care if the nobles aren't appeased when the people aren't happy." Henrietta stated as she looked to see if she was being followed before entering a hidden room.

"Very well then." Agnes said as she followed.

OOooOO

Within the confines of Tristainia, the capital of Tristain, there stood a nondescript inn that was known by the rather unforgettable name of the Charming Faerie inn. Before the transition it was home to young girls that were down on their luck needing a place to live and make a living, now it lived up to its name as most of the employees were Fae.

"Order up." A newly awakened Catsy with midnight black hair and tail called as she set an order out to be delivered.

Now let it be known that the inn acted more as restaurant than an actual inn, because the rooms were mostly used by the employee's, though the odd traveler was able to rent one of the remaining rooms.

"Please Jessica you worked yourself to exhaustion yesterday. I can take over for the night." A well-endowed imp pleaded with her equally endowed cousin.

"I'm the one in charge of the kitchen Siesta." Jessica answered her ear and tail twitching as she flitted around the kitchen.

"Then you might want to think about letting a couple of the older girls help you back here." Siesta pleaded with her obstinate cousin. Siesta had decided to help her Uncle and cousin with their inn after she was given some time off after Klein's change had completed. This was after she had been contacted that Jessica had collapsed while Siesta was visiting her family in Tarbes.

Delthea, after throwing another fit to Agil, had been sent here to cool down and learn a way to do her job.

"Welcome young master how may I serve you?" Delthea asked as happily as she could even though she wished to throw this particular man out.

"If you would miss, could you tell me the night's specials." The short auburn-haired man asked politely, his blue eyes looking at her with amusement.

"We have a new shipment of meats and vegetables from the mob hunters so I'm not sure what's in there." Delthea answered in a more friendly tone.

"I see, well what do you think is good?" The man asked thoughtfully.

"If veggies aren't a problem we have a few good dishes with your choice of meats." Delthea answered.

"I guess that'll work. So what's available today?" The man asked.

"Dang Scarron he needs to let us get that menu up for him." Delthea mumbled. "Today we have Alfhiem Nishime."

"I'll go with that then." He said uncertainly.

"Comin' right up." She said cheerily as she flew towards the bar as the room was crowded glad for the high ceiling. She came back a minute later landing as she set the large wooden bowl down.

"Uh, ma'am?" He asked as he inspected the food. "The food is looking at me."

"Well there are a few eyes in there." Delthea answered shrugging. "I think the meat of the day is sand lizard."

"I see." He said as he tentatively tasted it. "Well, it's palatable, I'll give it that."

"Hmm." Delthea grunted giving a deadpan look as she left.

The man looked around, taking in the activities as he enjoyed his meal. He didn't miss when someone completely covered in a cloak came through the door.

"What have you got for me?" A female voice questioned as she sat down.

"Cloaks are an excellent disguise. I had no idea it was you." The man stated with a hint of humor.

"Really?" The woman asked happily staying quiet.

"No." He said flatly.

"Hmm." She pouted as her headed dipped down slightly.

"I'd lose the cloak, dye the hair, maybe choose a different style. Also change the clothes, maybe something showing a little more skin." Ignoring her indignant look he continued. "Or a lot less royal, you know, think plebeian." He gestured with the spoon to a plain girl on the other side of the room. "Like her."

"Ok Mr. McNally." The girl answered.

"Luckily, the Fairy Inn doesn't spread gossip about its customers. Unless asked by certain individuals." He said.

Jessica came over to the table having recognized the girls scent. "You and your partner can come into the back to discuss stuff if you need to. Just come in through the back though your highness."

"That'd be nice, thank you." He said as he stood up. "Shall we?"

"We shall good sir." Henrietta said as she followed him around to the back of the building.

"Never got the royal treatment before." he said quietly as he opened up the door.

"-this part of the hound is edible?" A deep unfamiliar voice asked.

"Yes because this mob is nothing like dogs. It's more like deer." Agil answered noticing the back door opening.

"Oh, I see that's why these seasonings don't rea-." The deep voice started before stopping and shifting to a high-pithed tenor. "Tres Bien. Customer come in through front."

"I'm sorry, the nice Catsy with black hair said we could talk back here." Henrietta said apologetically.

"Oh, Jessica gave the Ok." Agil stated as Scarron nodded sagely.

"Tis fine then." The proprietor said sagely.

"Thank you, we'll just talk over here." McNally said attempting to lead Henrietta away from the commotion of the kitchen.

"Is a problem present with the current venue?" Scarron asked curious.

"No, I just dislike talking of private matters in public." McNally said looking around.

"It's all right. These people know." Henrietta said pleasantly.

"Oh, well, Ok." McNally said before he told her what he found out.

"How are investigations going then?" Agil asked.

"Slow. Stupid nobles acting like idiots, but what else is new. We might have a lead on the reconquista but nothing solid." He said quietly.

"I see." Agil said crossing his arms closing his eyes in contemplation. "Well, that's the most boring part of undercover work, the waiting."

"All right then, keep the good work." Henrietta said clasping her hands as she sparkled.

'So Cute.' The three men thought in sync.

OOooOO

Omake:

"Willem." The red headed Chtholly said slowly as she stood over the fallen man.

"You damn fool." Willem said lethargically as he slowly faded from blood loss.

"Willem." Chtholly said again as she collapsed the pair fading.

Some time later on the island that housed the warehouse for the leprechauns Nygglatho was comforting Ithea thinking back to what occurred a few days prior. She thought about why it felt that a part of her had disappeared about the same time that Willem and Chtholly supposedly died. "May the two of you find happiness wherever you find yourselves."