It all happened before the young boy could register and react.

There was a brunet man. He came strolling from the gate, gave the small boy, Finch, an emotionless greeting, and walked past him. Next thing that Finch knew, his dog chased after the brunet. Saliva dripped onto the pavement, and then the brunet man turned around. It was a swift movement. He took the gun out of the holster and aimed at the Border Collie's forehead.

The guy's finger brushed against the trigger, and then there was a shout coming from the entrance. "Reaver!"

Reaver. That was the brunet's name.

He closed his eyes, and turned around. He swirled his gun with his index finger. His body movements showed that he had decades of experience with handling a gun. Yet he had no trigger discipline and a mighty dislike of children.

Finch did not like this man. He didn't like those bone-chilling eyes, or the way his lips formed into a smirk as he turned around, or how he was seconds away from killing the Border Collie, or how he didn't show any hesitation until his name was called.

Sparrow, his mother, showed the same disdain, but the man seemed pleased with this mood. Relaxed, even. She turned to Finch, and said, "Take Doggo and find your brother. Walter should be ready for your training lesson."

But Finch only stood, looking at her with great, big eyes. He didn't want to leave his mother alone with that fiend.

"Go on," she gestured with her hand, "Walter doesn't like to wait."

Reaver lifted a handkerchief to his lips, and commented, "My, I would have expected better of the Prince. Even an apprentice pirate behaves better than that."

So the boy finally left. This gave the Queen some relief. Her shoulders relaxed and she led the way to the balcony on the third level of the garden. She remained against the wall of the castle. She crossed her legs and looked out into the nostalgic view.

Reaver laid his cane against the wall, and stood in front of her. "Unlike some, I do have a life. Get on with it, my dear."

"Do you ever wonder what happened to the other heroes?"

"If this is about Gar-"

Sparrow shook her head. In her time spent with the Skilled Hero, she knew better than to ask him of those events. "The Sanctuary was the famous training grounds for our ancestors."

"And? Get on with it, please."

"Yet there were only four of us. Their bloodlines couldn't have just vanished. Leaving us. There have been other heroes out there."

Reaver reached back for his cane. "I did not come here for your endless rattling, girl. If you wish to discuss this more, then write it in a letter and burn it. Unless there's money to be made."

She placed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Reaver. I have some unfortunate news." She calmed herself for the next sentence, "There will be a funeral for the Queen soon."

This caused him to raise an eyebrow. Well, she was still a human unlike him. And she will always be a human. She didn't possess the same greed as him.

"The Fourth Hero tried training them, but Finch and Logan hadn't wielded any power. I think... I think the Fourth Hero's bloodline is done for."

"Because you pander them, woman." He held onto his cane, and looked at Sparrow, who was still scanning the view. "And this is great news. Now there's only that viking to worry about, and then the title is up for grabs. Reaver the Last Hero. Actually, that's too much extra wor-"

"Viking?" It was a new voice that entered the scene. A woman of massive size forced herself through the entrance of the balcony area. Her weapon broke the cement when she rested it on the ground.

And finally, Sparrow turned to look at the newcomer. "Hammer, you've come."

"It's been a long overdue return." She walked forth and grabbed the Fourth Hero around her waist. "Sparrow! You've finally started getting some meat on your bones!" Sparrow gasped, and Hammer placed her back done. Now sorry for how she acted towards her Highness. Titles were always a mental decision she had to think about.

Reaver gave a heavy sigh. "I would rather not watch this reunion, unless the next destination is the bedroom."

"For a moment there, I almost forgot that you existed. Too bad."

"And I greatly wish that I could say the same."

Sparrow chuckled at their interaction. She imagined their past selves saying the same lines. It almost made her eyes watery. She had gathered these people together under Theresa's meddling, yet the bitter feelings were not shared towards each other. She could imagine that these two were just another gypsy or street urchin from her childhood.

Hammer rolled her head around to face Sparrow again, but something about Sparrow made her stop bickering with Reaver. "How long? How long do you have left?" Unlike Reaver, Hammer was delivered a letter about the news. Once she found out, she caught a ship and came over as fast as she could.

Sparrow merely looked at her, and repeated the words that she heard a thousand times before. "The Queen's death will be uncertain. I prefer to live long enough to cherish my old ways once more."

Reaver didn't react to the news like Hammer, he only asked, "And what is your reason for calling on us?" His cane tapped against the cement; impatient he was.

"I can't die here."

There was a moment of silence as they took it in.

"I will always be an orphan." She stared up at the castle walls, "This is the Queen's castle. My children will see this as home, but I still remember Lucian and Rose."

Reaver simply suggested, "If you need to find a back alley to die in, I suggest one in West Cliffs. They will make sure to use every single part of your body. Hopefully they will wait until your heart stops beating..."

Hammer thumped him, almost sending him to the ground.

"Another adventure." She paused for a moment, and traced her fingers across the stone bench. "I know this is asking a lot, but I cannot bring myself to ask anyone else of this selfish wish."

"You went to the wrong person," Reaver stated. Now he was fully intending on leaving, but Hammer blocked the way. "Move, woman."

The redhead glared at him, "We're here for Sparrow, for our Queen." At the mention of her title from her best friend's mouth, Sparrow's stomach turned.

"It's easy for you to wander back in here and act like you've owned the place, unlike the people who've been using their every asset to rebuild this kingdom. You feel guilty for leaving. But I don't." He left.

Hammer took a deep breath, calming herself, and looked back at her friend. "I'm sorry. Even after all of these years of training... I'm still the same. Hot-headed. Action over words." She leaned against the wall, glancing up at the sky, "What about your kids?"

"For children, I explained the best of my abilities without them crying."

"We all know how it is hard to accept death." And yours will be the worst case of it.

...

Hammer picked up a dusty crossbow, and tried messing with the notches, which triggered the device to shoot at the ceiling.

"Whoa there, Lady Hammer." Walter chuckled as he pressed a cloth back into place. He looked up at the bent bolt, and wondered if it was able to get past the floorboards on the other side.

"I'm not that well informed of crossbows, bows, guns or magic."

"Good thing you got the hammer thing going on."

She nodded and laid the crossbow back onto the shelf. Her eyes traveled deeper into the storage, but there wasn't enough light to reveal much. She couldn't believe that Sparrow kept every item she collected on her travels. Ranging from all of her old weapons, clothing, armor, and trophies. Hammer herself only had a few items as it was, but she never kept tattered clothing or broken tools that she saw tibbits of from inside the closet.

Sparrow raised a steel blade from the pile and held it up with both hands. Her posture was weak, as well as the sturdiest of the blade.

"What happened to the one that you had at The Marshes? I could have sworn it was a legendary one."

"I'm choosing this one."

Was it because of her attachment to the blade, or something else? Hannah wasn't a sword wielder, but she knew melee like the back of her hand, and knew that this sword of hers was nowhere right for the challenge ahead of them. "You're a Queen. Something like that doesn't suit you. Maybe we should go shopping for a new one."

"I, Sparrow, prefer simple things like this."

Hannah bit her bottom lip. Now she knew she said something off-handed and quickly apologized. All she meant was to trade for a better equipped blade, but that was her Queen's wish to use that sword, then so be it. "And your ranged weapon?"

"This," she held up a Dragonstomper .48 in its prime condition.

"That couldn't be... Reaver's?"

She only shrugged, placing it in her holster, ending this conversation in silence. After a moment or so, Walter latched the container and looked at the girls with a smile. "All packed! Nothing else unaccounted for."

"What about extra clothing? Food? Water? Survival needs, like a knife, tent canvas, stakes, waterskin, and bed cloth?"

"You really underestimate me. Well, it was Jasper who got most of that."

Hannah nodded, "It would be unfortunate if something was left out of place, so I had to ask. Otherwise, I think all that is needed to be done now is get the equipment in a wagon and finish dinner." She would say something about Reaver, but ever since his exit yesterday, there wasn't much else to add.

"Don't worry, Lady Hannah. We can take care of it. You and Queen Sparrow should be focused on yourselves for this fine trip. Chef Chowder is probably already done."

The two finally exited the storage and headed through the great halls of the castle. Hammer glimpsed around each corner, unsure if she would ever come back again. It looked just like a castle that a child would imagine, with less cannons and trolls. "This is marvelous!"

Two servants standing outside the double set of doors waited until Sparrow was in front of them to open them. "Good evening, Queen Sparrow and Lady Hannah."

"How do you ever get used to this?" Hannah tried whispering to the Queen, but it was louder than she expected. Her voice chimed throughout the dining hall, where she couldn't help but excuse herself to the standing servants. On the far end of the table was a small course, set for only two. "Only us?"

"This table is only full whenever we are hosting. Otherwise, most of the residents of this castle dine at seven."

Hammer took this as a hint that the monarch wanted to leave early. Maybe she couldn't face her children now that the fact was looming over her shoulders.

As soon as they went to sit down, there was rattling on the door. "Lord Reaver has arrived, my highness!" it came from the coursed-throat guard.

"Send him in," she requested. They shared a glance as the doors opened to reveal Reaver in a new outfit yet the same scold.

"And I don't get a reservation? How hurtful." He didn't even greet himself before taking the seat across from them. With a gesture of her hands, a servant placed another plate on the table for the newcomer.

"Your business here? I was led to believe that you denied any involvement."

He took a slice of meat off the dinner plate. "I had a change of heart."

Hammer almost choked on her food.

"Well, it's true. Possibilities can change a person's attitudes, you know."

"Possibilities?"

"Business tactics, my dear."

Now this sounded more like the new Reaver that Sparrow knew best. Hammer, however, was stuck on the past version.

"This could have been taken care of long before now, Reaver."

"Not everyone was informed of your timely death in advance. Now that I know, I want my business proposals to be the right person."

"What is your purpose?"

"We can discuss the purpose while we are on the road."

"The Crown Prince will soon be placed in charge of decisions with his advisors," Sparrow mentioned, "The Crown Prince will be a new map to discover. May as well leave the outdated one behind, Reaver."

"My kindness towards children is a bit twisted, Sparrow. A businessman, like myself, would prefer the Queen to share the businessman's knowledge to the Crown Prince and then introduce the two."

"The Queen only listens to requests while she is in the meetings. I prefer light conversation at the table. Sadly, there will be no meetings for the foreseen future."

This was the information that Reaver wanted. She was leaving her title distant. She was hyping the Crown Prince's importance. The Queen was dead to her once she left the castle.

"Then please listen to my last request, Sparrow. Let Logan know that your dear old friend, Reaver, is going to protect his mother."

Hammer rolled her eyes, already wishing that Reaver stayed at his house. Sparrow only continued eating and little was said afterwards. Reaver kept expressing his thoughts on the food, as well as how dull the dining room was compared to his own, and the other two only nodded or paid little attention.

As soon as they were done, Walter waltzed in and gave them the news. "The carriage is already. The kids are protesting. Won't listen unless they see you."

"Rotten little brats," Reaver commented.

Sparrow lifted herself from the table and excused herself, then followed Walter out into the hallway. Reaver and Hammer shared a glance before their stomachs turned at the sight of each other.

"I hope you know that we haven't forgotten."

"Forgotten? Such as? There's no possibility that you could have forgotten my noble deeds, so what is it?"

"About Garth."

His eyes flashed into coldness. "Some things are better left unsaid. It's been over two decades."

"I was only warning you." She leaned back in her chair and gestured with her palms up, "No one knows what happened then, between you two, but we do know of the results."

"It was a matter between men. There's no need for you to place your nose into it."

"Just remember, if something were to happen to me or her Highness, they will execute you on the spot."

"And? Is this supposed to be some type of a threat, because if so, you'll have to do better than that."

"Reaver, we are dealing with royals and politics now. Queen Sparrow is not the Fourth Hero that we used to travel with."

"Hammer. Maybe it's you who needs this distinction. I have been dealing in these affairs since she took the castle."

Once again, she shrugged; it was worthless in trying to get him to understand the risk involved. "I still don't understand why her Highness is taking you along."

"Jealous?"

"Annoyed, mostly."

"Likewise." He stood up from his seat, and headed off to the exit. "I will give you some advice, Hammer. You may question my intentions in this, but you will realize how important my words are. This Sparrow is the Fourth Hero. Remember that they are different. Queen Sparrow is gone as soon as we leave the castle. No more titles once we leave the grounds."

The words fazed her. Even Hammer had issues calling Sparrow with the correct titles. Maybe she missed Sparrow's reactions in her haste. She watched Reaver walking out of the grand doors, "Where are you going?"

He replied with, "Do you really expect me to wait in there? I would rather be in my carriage. I cannot deal with the little bastards."

"You just asked about the Crown Prince!"

"That is my last request for her at this castle."

After a while, Sparrow appeared in the courtyard with her two sons on her heels. They hid behind her bosom when they first took notice of the strangers. Walter and Reaver stood a little off the path, glazing down at the small cemetery where the past Royal Family was buried. Hammer seated herself on the staircase, but stood up as soon as Sparrow walked out.

This was the first time the redhead saw the boys. They both had full cheeks that asked for a squeeze from her, and each acted recording, heading right back to their protective wall, behind Sparrow and Walter.

"Hammer, I think you're scaring them."

The redhead pulled back. Somewhat ashamed that she caused the two kids to hide from her. "Oops," she scratched her head. "I'm just an old lady, little guys. My father would've wanted to see me blessed with children like you."

Logan had his hair pulled back in a ponytail, while the other one, Finch, parted his hair to the side. She could only see a few connections between the three family members. The boys must have taken after their father; whoever that was. She heard little news from Albion, and nothing about Sparrow's partners. Since the rebellion, Sparrow kept them hidden. Her only known husband and her firstborn died at the hands of Lucian's men.

On the stone path was their carriage with an added wagon on the back. The wagon must have been Reaver's. It was filled to the brim of clothing and unnecessary supplies. He was already inside of the carriage. He moved the curtains apart and clapped his hands together, "Chop, chop, ladies."

Hammer nodded with a small sigh and gave Walter a handshake before almost breaking the front seat when she tried getting on. "Some people are trying to rest here!" Reaver shouted from the back.

And it was finally her turn.

Sparrow took their hands and pressed them together within her own. "It would seem the time finally calls."

"You can't leave. Not yet."

She gave a small, sad smile, brushing Finch's hair back behind his ears. "Soon, you two will understand, but for now, you will just have to listen." She took a deep breath, "I will always love you two. No matter what happens, I want you two to know that Albion needs you, that I need you. Be strong, little ones. I…I love you two, and I'm so proud. Don't ever forget."

"Mom…" Finch held onto her sleeve, afraid to let go.

"Logan, you will become a great king that Albion has ever had. Everyone here will see to it. And Finch, oh Finch, you'll be the best Hero that Albion has ever seen."

She told them so many tales of their hero's blood, but she felt she was now lying to them. They would not see the impact of their hero's blood, but maybe their children will.

She took another breath, calming herself. "Goodbye, my little princes."

This has been resting in my Google Docs since 2015. I always felt guilty about keeping it unreleased since it was unfinished. Now that I'm back on this website, I felt like it was time to finally get this sent off. The ending is being written and will see the release of it in a few days from now. I had 7000 words written before I gave up. So this is just part one. I know this series is long forgotten, but with news of a new Fable game being released, I can't wait.

Image: FableQueen (Tumblr)