Chapter 5
"Child Surprise"
Naruto crossed his finger and 10 shadow clones pop into existence. They charged the guards and blocked anyone from coming closer. Naruto turned to Geralt.
"If you don't mind...Could you help out?" -Naruto asked and Geralt chuckled.
"Seems like you have everything under control." -Geralt said until he saw the guest getting up and going toward them."Hmm, fuck."
"Off you go, Witcher." -Naruto said and Geralt grunted. He went to join Naruto's clones and hold back the guards and the guests."Alright, You better have something that will calm down the Queen."
"We should end this fight first, don't you think?" -Urcheon said and they both turn to face Calanthe. She was pissed. Pavetta quickly left her seat and rushed to Urcheon and embraced him."Pavetta..."
"Stay away from him!" -Calanthe shouted at her daughter. She turned away to face her mother with tears in her eyes.
"No! Don't you see that I love him?!" -Pavetta shouted through her tears and room shook for a moment. Everyone noticed that and stopped for a second. But they quickly returned to beating each other asses."I'm tired of this...Why can't you understand?!"
"Believe me, I do understand." -Calanthe said with a sigh."But I cannot allow my only daughter to be in love with a monster."
"He's not a monster..." -Naruto said seriously."It's a curse. What kind of monster wouldn't kill guards and now look, your daughter is standing next to him. Why is she still alive, then?"
"Your majesty..." -Urcheon said while giving Naruto his sword back."It will explain everything, but We need to stop this fight first, please..."
Calanthe glanced at the people fighting each other. It was chaos out there. There was no way of solving this problem with fighting going on.
"Enough of this! Stop!" -Calanthe shouted. And it stopped. Calanthe left her seat and slowly walked toward her daughter and Urcheon."Explain this."
"It's true...I was cursed as a young boy." -Urcheon admitted with a sigh."My whole life was a nightmare, until the day I saved your husband, Roegner de Salm, from certain death." -He paused upon seeing Calanthe's eyes."By tradition, I chose a law of surprise as payment. When he came back and find what he has, it would be mine."
"You stupid bastard." -Calanthe snarled at him."Why not let him die...?"
"You knew he would come." -Geralt said in his usual calm tone."And pushed me to kill him..."
"And you...with a beast that swindled your stupid father." -Calanthe snorted and Pavetta looked down.
"It's not swindled." -Eist Tuirseach said while walking to Calanthe."Asking for payment with a law of surprise is as old as the world itself."
"Don't lecture me..." -Calanthe warned him.
"It's an honest gamble." -Eist said with shrug."It's likely to be rewarded with a sword, a puppy or a child of surprise...He could not know. It was destiny."
"When I heard that the king was expecting a child...I abandoned all thoughts of claiming my payment." -Urcheon said honestly."I knew no women would ever accept me like this." -He paused, feeling Pavetta hand on his cheek."So I waited until the twelve bells when the curse breaks...I never intended to get closer. Just watch from afar..."
"Until the destiny intervened. And our hearts collided." -Calanthe couldn't look or listen to her daughter's words.
"Who are We to challenge destiny?" -Eist asked while leaning to Calanthe."Life was saved, the debt must be paid...or the whole order of the worlds falls apart."
"Honor destiny's wish..." -Mousesack said in dead-serious tone." or unleash its wrath upon us.
"There is no us!" -Calanthe shouted."I bow to no law made by men who never bore a child! Is there not a man amongst you who does not cower from destiny." -She paused and looked at Geralt."Witcher...You who have known monster of every fang and claw. Are you afraid too?"
"No." -Geralt replied and Calanthe features soften."I've seen mothers lash themselves raw over the death of a child, believing they crossed destiny, ignoring the stench of the 50 other children in the plague cart outside. Destiny...helps people believe there's an order to this horseshit. There isn't."
"But a promised was made." -Naruto added."Even you hold no power to ignore it..."
"And what power do you hold?" -Calanthe stared at Naruto, who didn't even flinch. She snapped her fingers and guards were ready to attack him."What kind of power can stop you from getting killed, right here, right now?"
"Do you want to find out, your Majesty?" -Geralt asked smugly."Because I'm telling you...You don't want this."
Suddenly, purple energy formed around Naruto, Pavetta, and Urcheon. The energy started to take shape of a big rib cage surrounding them. Everyone was franticly taking steps back, everyone except for Geralt. But it didn't stop there. The energy was slowly forming a skeleton upper body. With glowing yellow eyes staring at Calanthe, she tripped and fell on to the floor. Mousesack couldn't believe his eyes. What was that thing? He never heard of such a thing.
"Does this satisfy your curiosity, your Majesty?" -Naruto asked smugly, as his Susanoo's fist hit the floor and cracked it.
"I love you, Duny..." -Pavetta suddenly said. She didn't care what was happening now."I will marry him. I will finally be free..."
"What do you say to that, Lioness of Citra?" -Naruto asked while crossing his arms."I know that you're scared. I can feel your emotions. But your daughter is not a little girl anymore. She can't be your bird in a cage. They love each other and you won't stop that. So embrace it and show your daughter that you love her no matter what." -Calanthe slowly got up, her eyes watery. She raised her hand and guards drop their weapons. Naruto dropped his Susanoo as well and step out of the way.
Calanthe shows her hand to Duny, who took it. She got closer and whispered to his ear."Here's your destiny." -She smiled at him and suddenly took a dagger from her belt. Time seemed to slow down as Pavetta screamed. Naruto quickly used his Rinnegan to switch places with Calanthe, but it was too late. Pavetta screamed send a massive shock that pushed everyone away. The glass shattered and columns cracked. Naruto crashed at Queen's table and groaned.
He lifted his head to see that a vortex formed around Pavetta and Duny. He looks around and saw that Geralt and Mousesack were the only people on their feet. They tried to stop whatever was happening, but it didn't work. Slowly Pavetta and Duny start levitating from the ground. Naruto quickly got on his feet. Even while using chakra, Naruto had a hard time to fully stick to the ground. He activated his Susanoo and finally, he could move around. He got closer and called Pavetta. She was chanting something, while Duny stared at her. He yelled at her again and this time she reacted. She stared at and Naruto used genjutsu on her. This causes the vortex to vanish. Before they fell to the ground, Naruto Susanno grabbed them and gently put them on the floor.
Everything seems to calm down and the light was gone for a moment. But the moon shined brightly through the ceiling glass. Susanoo vanished once again and Naruto gave a long tired sigh. Geralt and Mousesack exchanged looks and both sighed as well.
"Do you believe in destiny now?" -Eist asked while helping Calanthe get up. Calanthe stared at her daughter and Duny, who was standing in the middle of the ballroom. There were pieces of glass, food, and dirt forming a circle around them.
Slowly making her way to them, Naruto was on alert. But soon, he realized that there was nothing to worry about. Calanthe learned a hard way not to intervene in destiny. Calanthe walked to her daughter and put her hands on her cheeks and then gave her a warm hug. Pavetta hugged her back and cried with her mother.
Everyone was slowly getting up while staring at the scene before them. Naruto smiled at them, while Geralt chuckled. Mousesack was a concern, though. He knew what it was. The Elder Blood.
After breaking the hug, Calanthe stared at her daughter in disbelief.
"I thought your grandmother's gift has skipped you..." -She said, while Pavetta was smiling at her."As it did me. It seems like I was wrong. About so many things." -She admitted. Then she glanced at her guests."Destiny has spoken! And I have listened. The Law of Surprise will be honored." -She paused to take a deep breath."Pavetta will marry...Lord Urcheon." -Everyone was whispering. Obviously, not in a good way.
"React poorly, and you face just the lioness, you will be facing the sea hounds of Skellige" -Eist warned everyone."Because Queen Calanthe...has agreed to my proposal of marriage." -They glanced at each other. Eist was smiling, while Calanthe was in disbelief. But she didn't say anything to that.
"There will be two vows here tonight!" -Calanthe exclaimed, holding her daughters and Eists hands. Duny joined them quickly with a smile."I assume that's agreeable." No one said a word. They're scared to piss of the lioness."Delightful."
After a few minutes of preparations, everyone formed a small circle around Calanthe, Pavetta, and Duny. Each person was holding a candle. Well, maybe except for the Witcher and Jaskier who was holding crying damsel.
"Duny..." -Calanthe said with a small smile."With my blessing...I thee bind" -She finished, giving her daughter a warm smile. Then, Pavetta and Duny looked at each other with love. Then, they kissed.
Suddenly, Duny barked. He was shivering and grunting. He fell to the ground and everyone stared in shock. He was changing. Duny was losing his hedgehog-like appearance. He turned back into a human. A human with black curly hair, brown eyes and normal face. He took his glove off to see that his hand was normal. He rushed to Pavetta's side and planted a big kiss on her lips. After breaking the kiss, they stared at each other with surprise.
"The twelfth bell has not yet rung." -Pavetta said while holding Duny face in her hands.
"What has happened?" -Calanthe asked in surprise and shock.
"I think your blessing of marriage...lifted the curse." -Mousesack said with a smile."Destiny has been fulfilled...The curse has been lifted."
"Whew..." -Jaskier said with a smile and tears in his eyes."I think this has the makings of my greatest ballads yet."
"Maybe for once don't do that." -Naruto said and Geralt agreed with a nod."I need a drink after this..." -They're ready to leave.
"No! Wait, wait!" -Duny said and Naruto stopped. He got up on his legs and stared at Naruto."You saved my life. I must repay you."
"Helping you and Princess was already payment in itself." -Naruto said with a grin."You would do the same thing. I want nothing."
"No, please." -Duny was almost begging him."Please, Naruto Uzumaki, do not feel like you're doing me a service...I cannot start a new life in the shadow of a life debt."
"Ah, alright." -Naruto agreed with a sigh."I...claim the tradition as you have, the Law of Surprise. Give me what you have but do not know. I hope you get some amazing sword for being a prince."
"No!" -Calanthe yelled."What have you done, Uzumaki?"
"Fear not, Your Majesty...Next time I'll be here I won't take any pups or crops." -Naruto promised and suddenly Pavetta puked. Everyone stared at Naruto in shock. His skin got pale."Fuck...I need a drink." -With that, he left to find a mug and some alcohol. Geralt and Mousesack quickly went after him.
They found at the balcony with a mug and a bottle. He was staring at a moon while sipping down his drink.
"There you are..." -Geralt said with an amused expression.
"Clearly the girl has access to immense primal power." -Mousesack said while looking at Naruto.
"Yeah...She has no idea how to control it." -Naruto said tiredly. Why this day couldn't just end already?
"But you can subdue her...And I can guide her." -He said, causing Naruto to laugh.
"You're good man, Mousesack." -Naruto said and finished his drink. He knew where this was going.
"You should stay, Naruto." -It surprised Naruto that this wasn't Mousesack, but Geralt who said it.
"What are you saying?" -Naruto asked not believing."You don't want to travel with you anymore?"
"It's not that...But if the child is coming, you'll be better here." -He said, even more, amused at the face Naruto was making."I like traveling with you, believe me. But whenever I go...people hate me for what I am. And that hate touches you as well. You can do more good here than with me."
"Naruto, you're bound to this now. Whether you like it or not." -Mousesack said with a supportive smile.
"I can't just take that child from them." -Naruto said while shaking his head."She or he is meant to be with parents. I don't see myself as a parent right now."
"You're not listening." -Mousesack said harshly."No one is saying about taking a child away or being its parent. All We can ask you to...is to look after it when the time is right. To be a guardian angel. The bond between that you and that child, when it's born, will be extraordinary...But if you leave without claiming this, child surprise, you'll unleash calamity upon us all.
"Geralt..." -Naruto said slowly."Do you think...that I'm really up to this?"
"Over the past 3 years, you proofed many things." -Geralt said with a small smile."After what you did today, I believe that you're more than enough for this."
Naruto thought for a moment. Was it really worth it to stay? He still had a mission to go back and save his world. But there was always a thought in his mind. What if he can't go back? He didn't like that idea, but there was always a possibility. Besides if this destiny thing is real, then he can't leave. He has to claim his payment.
"Alright, I'll stay." -Naruto said with a sigh."I still want to travel. There is so much I haven't seen yet..."
"I don't think that will be a problem." -Mousesack said with a grin."I'm really excited to get to know you..."
"Me too..." -Naruto said with a smile."So, I guess We have to go back..."
"Yes, We should go." -Mousesack agreed and they went back to the ballroom."Now, just be nice and say sorry. Everything will go smoothly from there."
Calanthe, Pavetta, and Duny were talking to each other with smiles. They noticed that Naruto was walking toward them. Calanthe smile suddenly vanished, while the newlywed looked worried.
"Er...Sorry, I just needed a moment." -Naruto said with a sheepish smile."I'm sorry...I really didn't think this would happen. Not that I'm not glad for your daughter and son-in-law. I hope you don't mind if I stick around..."
"I would..." -She paused for a moment and glanced at Geralt."If you were a Witcher like Geralt."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty." -Geralt said with a smile."I wouldn't want myself either."
"Initially...I was a bit worried." -Calanthe admitted quietly."But ever seeing what you are capable of...I think I'd rather have you on my side."
"Mother!" -Pavetta whined, causing Calanthe to chuckle.
"I'm just being with our guest of honor!" -Queen said while shrugging."WIth someone like him, no one will dare to attack Cintra..."
"I rather avoid conflicts if possible." -Naruto admitted, causing Calanthe to groan.
"So, you're boring one, huh?" -Naruto sweatdropped at that."That's fine...Well, somebody has to clean this mess. Luckily for us, we don't have to do this."
[Later, gates to Citra.]
"So...this is it." -Naruto said while looking at Geralt who was riding Roach. He glanced at his new 'Royal' suit. But at least it's orange."I didn't expect things to go like that."
"Me neither." -Geralt agreed with a small smile."Sadly, I won't be able to see how you change diapers."
"Not if you won't visit from time to time." -Naruto said with a tired smile.
"Can't make any promise." -Geralt said with small smile.
"Sure you can." -Naruto gave him a grin. He extended his hand. Geralt couldn't help but chuckle."See later, Geralt..."
"See you later too, Naruto." -Geralt shook Naruto's hand and nodded to him.
"What about me?" -Jaskier asked, whining."Won't I get a goodbye handshake?"
"Knowing you, Jaskier...You probably try to get to sing at the Palace again." -Naruto said with a cheeky grin, causing Jaskier to groan.
"Very funny...C'mon Geralt. Let's go!" -Jaskier said.
"I wished he stayed with you." -Geralt said with a tired sigh.
"I heard that!" -Jaskier yelled, while slowly riding away.
"Good luck on your path, Geralt." -Naruto said with a confident grin.
"Same to you, Naruto." -Geralt said and soon he and Jaskier vanished from Naruto sight.