So I decided to leave the last chapter as it was for reasons I hope will become clear with this chapter. Sorry again for not coming off very concisely, I have to work on getting into the character's heads more and letting you know the rationale behind some of their actions without spoon-feeding you m.o.'s or something like that.

Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy what's in store :)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to

Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving

me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!

I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,

but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this

story to make it more interesting.

I also don't own anything related to Naruto if you see me throw a little of that in, too

Immediately after meeting him she knew she wouldn't like him. Maybe it was his first few words that rubbed her the wrong way, but Daisy knew a jerk when she saw one and Callian had to be the king of them.

He was in the small meeting room Bowser led her to and right after he shut the door, he took a seat at a round table to the left of the man. She stood at the door, staring at this new character. He reminded her of someone. Next to him was a much younger person who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, what with the way they were slumped over onto the table with their head in a pile of their arms.

"Come and sit, precious," The Dark King called to her, saying, "And it's rude to stare."

She ignored him in one sense, for even though she made her way to the table and sat at his left, she continued to stare at the foreign man. He was rough all over, with burly arms folded across a barrel chest and a mean scowl on his stubble-chinned face. His eyes, so faded a blue they almost looked grey or silver, darted errantly over her before they rolled over to Bowser.

He said callously, "What, did you pick up a stray?"

Daisy bristled, deciding she would not get along with this man. Bowser grinned as she sat and reached over to pat her hand but she flinched obviously away from him, repulsed.

"Hardly," The Dark King replied smoothly, turning to his ally. He motioned to Daisy with one hand and said, "This is my Empress."

"I'm not your anything," Daisy snapped, crossing her arms under her cloak. She reminded him, "This is just a business arrangement. Nothing more. Nothing personal at all."

Bowser looked her over with a private smile and said, "If you say so, love."

"Don't call me anything but my name," Daisy demanded, and she really didn't want him calling her that.

To Callian's surprise, Bowser let her talk to him that way and seemed to enjoy the woman's sass. He frowned.

Of his ally he asked, "You can't be serious?"

Bowser asked, "About what?"

"You made an agreement with this girl?" Callian grimaced.

Daisy took offense at that but she didn't know that was probably the kindest thing he could've called her, what with the way he was feeling. Callian looked to Bowser for any sign of japery or the like but, even though he smiled, Bowser nodded in the affirmative.

"A word in private," The bounty hunter then entreated, rising and leaving the room.

Bowser followed him with another once-over of the young woman at his left and Daisy imagined gouging his eyes out for making her feel so exposed. She watched them both leave and turned towards the last occupant at the table.

Who could that be, she thought, unable to garner much from the mess of silky dark hair and pale, tattooed arms. She didn't know if it was a boy or girl or what part they played in being here.

Outside the room, Callian glared unabashedly at the Dark King, who looked more bemused than anything. He just couldn't understand why Callian was so upset.

"Tell me you're not serious," The League leader begged angrily.

Bowser said, "I mean what I say, Callian. She's my Empress and she's here to stay. Respect her."

"Respect her? I don't even trust her." Callian spat. He glanced back at the room with narrowed eyes and said, "I've seen into her mind, she hates you. Why have you brought her here?"

"I told you." Bowser sighed. "And you know I don't like repeating myself."

"Suppose she tries to kill you?"

"I know she will."

"And you're fine with that?"

"She won't succeed." Bowser stated confidently.

"How do you know?" Callian countered. "She was thinking of gouging your eyes out just seconds ago." Bowser laughed at that and Callian asked, "Oh, you think this is funny?"

"I know this is serious." Bowser claimed, still smiling. "That's why I've got you here."

"Well I may as well kill her now." Callian deadpanned.

"No." Bowser frowned, suddenly serious. He said, "You're not gonna' kill her. And I don't want you using magic against her."

"What?!"

"You're a grown ass man, Callian." Bowser explained dully. "You don't need magic to restrain her. She's not that dangerous."

"Why even take the risk if you know how she feels about you?" Callian asked, slightly bewildered. "Why is she even here?"

Bowser shrugged and said, "I want her here."

"…Sometimes I don't understand you."

I had no idea what was going on and, as usual in these situations, my imagination eagerly supplied me with many possible scenarios; none of them were good. It was killing me to just wait around in the gardens but what could I do? Charging out towards the palace may do more harm to Daisy than good. I had to trust her, but I also had to know what was going on.

I touched two fingers to the scar near my chest and waited for a response.

Out of habit Daisy looked down when her chest started burning and tingling faintly.

Luigi, she thought, pressing the tip of her finger onto the spot down below her throat, right on top of the scar. At the moment it was the only way she could assure her fiancé she was alright, and even that small action seemed to draw suspicion; when she looked up, for she had to as she was walking, she saw Bowser's ally staring at her with a nasty scowl.

Of course, she thought, rolling her eyes. I could try and play it off but there's no convincing some people; someone like him is just determined not to trust anyone else, I can just tell.

She wondered what happened to make him so cynical but didn't care enough to dwell on the thought. Instead she surveyed the palace as Bowser led her towards where she'd be spending her time here.

I've got to get the layout down, she knew, studying each turned corner and counting the number of rooms on both sides of the hall. Bowser stopped halfway down and he and his ally stood off to the side of a door on the left.

"Here you are," The Dark King swept his hand towards the room and inclined his head a small bit.

His actions made her cringe like she'd stepped in gum, but that just made him grin more.

He tilted his head and told her, "My room's down that way. Don't be a stranger. We'd be in the same one but Callian doesn't think that's a good idea."

"I'd have to agree." Daisy stated flatly.

She looked over at Callian, who still had his eyes narrowed, and she fumed inside.

So he must be the snake's bodyguard and advisor, she mused, frustrated. This is gonna' make my job a whole lot more complicated.

The princess stepped past Bowser and into the room and was surprised by how small it was. It had to be a guest bedroom. No matter, any room free of the resident menace was a good one to her. She sat on the bed on the left and then looked over at the two men pointedly.

"Do you mind?" She asked, agitated.

What was the use of masking her emotions? She had a feeling Bowser saw right through her and was just humoring her and Callian, well, he wasn't disguising the way he felt about her. To him she was already guilty of every crime imaginable. They shared a look and Bowser sent his ally away.

Alone with her, the Dark King shut the door and her heart mimicked the loud slam. She remained poised on the bed, back straight, expression calm, and the redhead grinned. He took languid steps over to her, going so slowly just to unnerve her. Well, that wasn't all true.

He really couldn't believe she was here and was steadily warring with his eyes and mind. He wasn't sure if they were on one accord and she really was sitting there on the bed or if he was just hallucinating. He stopped in front of her and held his hands behind his back and gazed at her.

Daisy stared up at him, deciding no reaction was the best reaction because he was obviously trying to get some kind of rise out of her. But as the seconds wore on and those malignant jade eyes grew more intense and more hypnotic, she started getting uncomfortable.

"What do you want?" She demanded, abandoning the calm façade.

He looked like he'd been genuinely enraptured with staring her down because when she spoke he blinked and locked eyes with her, looking like he was just coming into focus with the present again.

He told her, "I want to talk to you in an hour."

"Whatever. Can I be alone now?" She snapped.

Bowser opened his mouth and it looked like he was about to say one thing, then he curved his lips to the side in a half-smile and gave her a long blink and a gracious nod.

Thankfully he did leave this time, shutting the door and taking that overbearing presence with him. He was so evil it was as if his black and dirty aura just filled up the room and made her skin crawl. Fully alone now, Daisy rubbed her arms and released a shaky breath. She felt another vibration above her chest.

"Luigi?" She whispered.

Not quite. The young woman reached first shed her cloak and then took her locket by the clasp behind her neck and pulled it over her head. A thin white wisp of smoke emitted from the heart-shaped locket, growing in size as it billowed out towards the space in front of her. The smoke thickened to a white plume and then took the shape of a man before an actual being materialized.

"Finally," King Boo grimaced, stretching his arms overhead.

"Shh!" Daisy chided.

King Boo sat on the bed and told her, "At ease, princess. I've already erected a barrier around this room; no sound shall pass through."

Daisy sighed and sagged in relief and said, "Oh, good. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome." King Boo replied, he then frowned and said, "I don't think it wise for me to stay any longer."

"What?!" Daisy frowned, "Why do you say that?" She stood and said, "I mean, I know I said I only need you for the initial encounter but…do you have to leave so soon?"

"If I stay any longer, my presence may hinder this operation." The King told her.

Daisy crossed her arms and asked, "How? You're so powerful, you could really help me out."

"As far as power goes, Callian and I are nearly matched." King Boo responded, glancing at the door.

Of course he was the more powerful of the two. How else would he have been able to effectively hide his daunting signature for so long?

"If he discovers I'm here, aiding you," King Boo explained, "This mission could be further jeopardized."

Not to mention I have my own kingdom to think about, King Boo noted. He knew that, if they were successful and destroyed the Dark King, he still had the League to think about. No one should make an enemy of them. Besides, his relationship with Callian was strained so any other slight would be the straw that would break the proverbial camel's back.

"Further?" Daisy frowned, hung up on the word. She dipped her head and asked, "What do you mean further jeopardized?"

"I think I speak for us all when I say we hadn't planned for this," King Boo stated. He plucked at his coat—it was very wrinkled now—and said, "The Dark King has always been allied with the League, but never so directly. He's clearly very afraid for his life to have Callian shadowing him like this."

Daisy snorted, gaining immense satisfaction at the snake's apparent fear. It served him right. She then frowned.

"King Boo," She asked, "Can you tell me if he has any protection spells or anything over him right now?"

King Boo said, "I'll assume you mean Bowser and yes, I did pick up on two shield charms and a supposedly undetectable invincibility frame."

"What's that?" Daisy enquired.

Boo told her, "Something that's effective but temporary; it has to be renewed constantly. There was also an artifact on him somewhere, probably in his pocket, that guards his immune system from twelve types of poisons."

"Great." Daisy deadpanned, a tight coil of anger forming in her stomach.

"It's only natural for him to take these measures." The immortal said, then reminded her, "He did get murdered."

"I know." Daisy huffed. "It just makes it harder for me to kill him."

"…That's not why you're here." King Boo frowned. He said, "We're all contributing towards the mission, remember?"

"Yeah, but if I kill him there won't be a need for this mission." Daisy argued, glancing over at the door.

King Boo reasoned, "That might be true but how do you expect to accomplish that? Given all his protections—"

"You're the Lord of Illusions," Daisy cut in. "Can't you do something to undo all that?"

"Not without Callian becoming aware of—"

"It won't matter if he finds out," Daisy cut in. "You'll strip away the snake's protection and I'll shoot him and that'll be the end of it."

"And what if that doesn't work?" King Boo asked her. "We stand to lose so much. Who's to say your aim or nerve won't fail you?"

"They won't." Daisy assured him.

"It did earlier." King Boo said in the softest, most careful tone.

It didn't matter; the comment stung anyway because Daisy thought back to the incident in front of the palace. She'd had the opportunity to strike and she'd choked. Seeing him again, her abuser, her captor, the demon who'd stolen so much from her…it had a stronger effect on her than she thought. Or maybe she was just weak.

"That won't happen again." Daisy responded coldly.

King Boo shook his head. "Even so, who's to say Callian won't be around to stay your hand?"

"You'll be there," Daisy insisted. "You can stop him while I finish off—"

"He has the entire League at his disposal." King Boo informed her. "They're here, I can sense them in the palace. And how do you expect me to disable the Dark King and hold off Callian? You overestimate my abilities, princess."

Daisy rubbed her arms agitatedly but was quiet. King Boo was right. There were too many what ifs, too many variables. It was best not to abandon a plan that might actually work and end all this for good in favor of a plan that was thought up on the spot and fueled by rage.

"I know you're hurting," King Boo came over and laid a hand on the girl's head and stroked her hair. "But you must not let your hatred hasten your actions."

Daisy looked away and nodded. Then she heard voices.

"That would be Callian." King Boo assessed. He looked over at her backpack and said, "He's going to search everything on you, including that bag of yours."

Daisy's eyes widened and she panicked but King Boo gently held her shoulders and turned her around, then passed a hand over her backpack.

"I'll have to leave now." He told her, backing away. "Try not to provoke him, Callian does despise women. And have the prince summon me should an emergency arise."

Daisy felt like this was an emergency right now but he disappeared. And no sooner did he do that than Callian busted through the door with an angry look on his face. He was trailed by the Dark King.

"Can I help you?" Daisy snapped, whirling around and throwing her fists to her hips.

Callian came over and did just what King Boo said he would. He jerked her by the arm and snatched her backpack off.

"That's mine!" she cried, grabbing for it.

Callian held it away from her and turned it upside down, shaking it so that all its contents got dumped out. She felt a spike of panic because there was a thud as the black handheld hit the floor. However, Callian neither heard nor saw this because he got down and rooted around the mess of food and water and supplies, missing the two knives as well. He looked over on the bed and saw the locket and she yanked it up before he could get it.

"Why is there magic attached to that?" Callian demanded.

King Boo must have left a trace or something on it, Daisy frowned, seeing the truth in the immortal king's words regarding the other sorcerer: he really was the real deal.

She lied and asked, "How should I know? It was a gift from my family, an heirloom."

Callian frowned and glared back down at the mess. Kicking a piece of fruit, he scowled harder and Daisy was almost certain that was the only expression he was capable of. She locked eyes with Bowser and he threw her a small wink.

"Are you done harassing me?" Daisy asked of Callian.

He wasn't; he had to go and pat her down and when he found no weapons there, either—despite the knife at her hip—he let her be.

"Happy now?" She pushed him away from herself.

Callian glowered at her, mad because he knew she was hiding something and even madder because he couldn't find out what. He tossed a look towards Bowser and banged the door all the way open on his way out. Bowser shook his head with a faint smile like the whole thing was just so hilarious and followed his ally out into the hall.

I was just about to go up to the palace and see what the matter was when I ran into Daisy. We were both coming from opposite directions in the garden and met head-on. Not literally, thankfully, but I had to grab her by the shoulders to stop us from colliding.

I looked her over and saw that she was fine. Every dark hair was in place, her light eyes were narrowed and she looked aggravated but otherwise she was fine. She even had her gun and the knife at her waist.

"So?" I pressed.

Daisy was missing her cloak, so I could see when she started rubbing her arms. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the locket, then fixed it back around her neck.

"King Boo's gone?" I asked.

Daisy nodded and said, "He helped me a lot. I found out the snake's well-guarded, not just with protection spells but with a whole babysitter."

"What?" I frowned.

She rolled her eyes and threw a hand up in the direction of the palace, saying angrily, "He's got the leader of the League as his personal bodyguard."

"Nikolai?" I recalled the greasy-haired immortal.

Daisy shook her head and said, "No, his brother. He's no amateur. It'll be hard to do anything against the snake with him around."

"Um," I stated pointedly, "That's not really why you're there. You're just supposed to set him up, remember? The battle? The stakes? You're not supposed to kill him on your own, Daisy."

I did not have a good feeling about this. Already the girl was making plans to act alone.

"I know," Daisy muttered, looking down. "I'm not going to do anything crazy to screw up the operation. I'm just saying." She looked to the side and back to me and said, "If I get the opportunity—"

"At least contact me first," I pleaded. "I want to know what's going on." I glanced behind me before raising my voice a bit and asking, "Do you know how hard it is for me to just sit by and let you do this?"

Daisy sighed and rubbed her hands over her face. She then looked at me and really saw me this time. Her features softened and she brought her hands to my shoulders, stepping closer.

"I know." She whispered. "And I'm sorry for being inconsiderate I just…I had a chance to…well, no I didn't."

"What?" I asked gently.

She shook her head and said, "It's nothing."

I sighed because I knew she wasn't going to tell me anymore than that. Instead of getting irritated, I switched topics.

"So you're in there?" I asked. "You got him to let you stay?"

"Yeah." Daisy replied tonelessly. "I guess so."

"What do you mean?" I frowned. "What went down?"

Daisy slid her hands down my chest as slowly as she let out another sigh and walked over to the nearest hedge wall and leaned against the greenery, bending her knee and resting her foot against it, too. She bowed her head so that part of her hair fell near her knee and the rest she tucked behind her ear.

"He just stared at me, mostly." She revealed, crossing her arms. "I told him I wanted to make sure he left Sarasaland alone and he said he would so long as I joined him so…" She shrugged.

"He believed you?" I asked.

Daisy frowned and bit her lip and said, "I…no. Probably not. But he's going along with it anyway." She looked at me and said, "That's how he operates, you know? I think he's playing me or something. The sooner we get rid of him, the better. Did you hear from Peasley?"

"No." I responded, wondering what news she expected him to have. We just saw him.

"Well I've still got the mirror," Daisy told me. "And King Boo said to have Peasley summon him if something goes down so this shouldn't be too overwhelming."

"You would know." I murmured, not really bitter just saying.

She was the one on the inside, she would be the one who'd get overwhelmed first. I was just here for support I guess.

"You should get to the warehouse." Daisy told me. "The League, they're everywhere. It'd be bad if you ran into them."

"Yeah," I said, backing up.

Daisy pushed off the wall and came over to me with her arms out. I hugged her and told myself this was only temporary, like she said. The fact that she'd come back unscathed was just proof of that. But I still leaned down and kissed her like she was my world, my heart, my treasure.

"Be safe." She told me, letting go.

I nodded and said, "Yeah, you too."

And I waited until she'd gone so far that I couldn't see her to leave myself. Something struck me then, walking out of the gardens, and I stopped and took the handgun I had from my side and shoved it in the hedge, out of view. I had to tell Daisy about it later. It was there for an emergency, for either her or me. I mean, it couldn't hurt.

"…I don't think he's listening to us."

"No, I don't think so either."

"Hm?" Peasley blinked and looked around himself.

In the hospital cafeteria he sat sandwiched between two young nurses who were getting increasingly more upset with his lack of attention. He glanced at both of them in turn and then smiled easily.

"I was listening," He claimed. He then turned left and told the girl, "You were talking about the stitches?"

"I was talking, and it wasn't about stitches." The girl on his right corrected the prince, shaking her head.

Peasley looked at her and noticed her hidden smile. They weren't truly mad at him. There was still a bit of adoration reserved just for him.

"What's on your mind, Majesty?" Mina asked.

She'd made it easier to tell her from her sister now that she'd cut her lustrous black hair down to a short bob. It became her, made her seem older than just seventeen.

"Yes, why are you so preoccupied?" Nina asked, rearranging her bone-straight hair back into a neat ponytail.

Peasley shrugged. "There's a lot going on right now."

The twins leaned forward so as to exchange a glance.

"Are you talking about the return of the Dark King?" Mina whispered.

Peasley frowned and asked, "How do you know about that?"

Mina ducked her head and smiled and said casually, "I think everyone knows by now."

She took a piece of bread from her plate and split in half, then started spreading butter along both halves. Peasley turned to her sister, who held her glass of water in both hands, eyeing him nervously.

She asked, "What will you do about it?"

"I can't discuss that with you." Peasley murmured, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.

Both girls turned to him and asked in unison, "Why not?"

"It would only put you in danger." Peasley told them, then asked, "Don't you two have enough to worry about with your examinations coming up?"

Mina made a face and said, "Ugh, Majesty, please don't remind me."

"Right," Nina muttered in like, turning back to her water.

"Your Highness?"

Peasley turned towards the cafeteria doors and saw someone hailing him. The attendant he recognized, but the hunched old man next to him was a complete stranger.

"Excuse me," The prince told the two girls.

The watched him go with a measure of consternation; it was so hard to get him alone these days, what with his busy schedule and theirs, but they were grateful for whatever time they got to spend with him at all. He looked back at them and waved because he enjoyed their company as well.

Even if it's a little selfish that I use their lives as a distraction from my own, he thought.

Yes, he'd been paying attention the whole time to what they were saying. It was much easier to hear about their typical day, their stresses and concerns and light chatter. It helped him not to worry so much about having the fate of the world on his and his few friends' shoulders.

"What is it?" Peasley asked his attendant once he'd reached the doors.

"This is the man you sent for."

"Oh, right." Peasley recalled, turning to the squat man and offering his hand.

Instead of shaking it, the man fidgeted nervously and asked, "Do you have the ah, the…"

"The golden frog?" Peasley asked gently, reaching into his pocket and pulling out just what he'd described.

He handed the inanimate thing over to the man and wondered if he should be giving away the object. It wasn't his, it belonged to his father, or grandfather.

I think they'd understand, he reasoned. Given the circumstances.

"Good, very good," The little man said, stroking and then pocketing the frog in the folds of his…bathrobe?

How odd, Peasley frowned, noting for the first time how the little green-skinned man was dressed. He was beanish and had a bump in his back but the bathrobe and crescent-moon fuzzy pants were what made the prince scratch his head.

I must have woken him up, the royal thought and then thoughts ceased when he was grabbed rather abruptly by the arm.

"I take you there now." The man's broken speech was the precursor to their sudden disappearance and reappearance somewhere far away.

Peasley stared out at the expansive grasslands ahead and turned to ask where he was, but the beanish man was gone.

Hm. Not much for a people-person, but then not many sorcerers are, Peasley was learning.

He dusted off the sleeve of his white dress shirt and reached into the pocket of his golden pants. He pulled out a stick of chocolate wrapped in baking paper, then brought the sweet to his mouth and broke off a piece as he walked and looked around.

I wonder if he's stiffed me, Peasley thought, convinced he was in the middle of nowhere.

But then he saw a long, long line of people and creatures leading up to a giant tent, also in the middle of this nowhere-like endless field. He went up to the last few people in the line and was about to approach them on the matter but they were all weeping uncontrollably. Such was the case with many of the people in line, and if they weren't crying the masses were staring ahead with equal shares of grimness and impatience. There was a heavy air of sadness and grief in the field.

What is this?

Peasley transported himself to the front of the line, several yards and yards ahead, and rendered himself invisible. That way he was able to pass through the flap of the red tent with relative ease. He stopped once he was inside because he saw some…activity in progress.

Oh, this must be the ritual, Peasley gathered from what he saw.

There was a tall board about the size of a nine-foot door with grey stakes jammed into it in the shape of a person-sized oval. There was a group that looked like a family—a man, woman, and two chubby children—standing in front of the door, but closer to the door was a tall, slender woman wrapping red wire around the stakes, joining them. Once that was done, Peasley saw the woman speak a few words and then the door started to change. Particularly the oval within the stakes; the door swirled and turned black and eternal, like a portal to infinite space had been opened. From that space, a spectre came stepping out and took the form of an old woman who only stuck around to embrace the family members and speak briefly in a tongue the prince did not recognize.

"Alright, that's your lot." The slender woman spoke, cutting the wire and forcing the spectre to get sucked back into the portal.

"No!" The woman or mother cried, running up to the door.

She tried to reach for the spectre but the door had reverted back to its original wooden form and the woman ended up slapping her hands against the board time and time again, sobbing hysterically.

The slender woman who'd opened the portal merely shook her head and then looked directly at Peasley.

How can she see me, I'm invisible, Peasley thought, glancing behind himself and seeing nothing else that would hold the witch's attention. No, she was looking at him alright.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave now." The witch spoke briskly, ushering the family out of the tent.

Of course she made sure to collect a small burlap sack from the father, thickened with the weight of many coins. The woman smiled at her bounty and then shooed the family away, then sealed the flaps of the tent closed with a downward sweep of her two fingers. She then turned to where Peasley stood.

"Come on out, little bean, so I can see you better." The woman coaxed, putting her hands on her hips.

Peasley dispelled the illusion and studied the woman who did the same to him. He only vaguely remembered her. He was very young when she used to come by the palace and have very long talks with his mother.

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed, the many lines on her lovely dark face stretching around her expression of surprise. Her burgundy lips spread in a smile and her dark eyes softened fondly as she remarked, "You're not so little anymore, and you've changed…species. But I heard about that." She then lowered her voice and added, "I also heard about your parents. I'm so sorry. Your mother was a dear friend of mine."

Peasley nodded, giving no thought to the condolences lest he find himself in a very despondent, contemplative place.

He tipped his head towards the board and said, "I see you've still got the stakes."

"I do." The tall woman nodded once, bearing a humored smile. "What about it?"

"I need them. Are you willing to make a trade for them?" Peasley got right down to it.

The woman furrowed her brow and asked, "Now what would you need with these stakes?"

"Will you trade for them?" Peasley pressed.

"What do you need them for?" The witch persisted.

Peasley didn't want to tell her but he could see he had no choice. He tried to be as ambiguous as possible when explaining because, even though this was a friend of his late mother, he didn't know if he could really trust her. She could also be a 'friend' of the Dark King.

"I need to send a very dangerous criminal to the realm of the dead." Peasley told her. "And as the fate of the world depends on the nonexistence of this…person, it's imperative I get these stakes, no matter the cost."

"…dangerous criminal, hm?" The witch pondered aloud, crossing her oak-brown arms. "You wouldn't be referring to the Dark King, would you?"

Peasley frowned.

So maybe Mina was right; does everyone know about his return?

"Yes, I can see why you'd want the stakes." The witch mused, setting her bag of coins down near her bare feet. She faced Peasley and said, "But I hope you're not doing this alone. It does surprise me the path you've taken as a sorcerer but even so, your power is…limited."

"I'll be joining my power with that of a stronger sorcerer." Peasley admitted, but not a word more.

The witch nodded and said, "That's good, that's good." She made a face and said, "I had a daughter once. A very small little girl. She was so tiny. I knew her only as a baby because, through a series of events involving the Dark King," She spoke his name with quiet ire, "she was taken from me…well, not really. I was forced to give her away." The witch glanced at her feet and murmured, "I had to leave her with the gypsies."

Peasley stared at her blankly, not knowing what to make of her impromptu confession.

The witch looked up and told him, "I want to see a world without the Dark King just as much as you do, little bean."

Peasley winced at the nickname but said hopefully, "You'll give me the stakes, then?"

"Of course." The woman smiled broadly, benignly. "…For a price."

Peasley frowned and prompted, "Which is?"

"I don't know yet." The witch continued to smile serenely. "But when I decide what I want, I'll come to the palace and let you know."

A/N: This story is called 'tangled liasions' for a reason (yeah, I know that's not how you spell the word liaison but I like this spelling better...I'm weird you guys)

I think you all know who that witch was...if not I'm sorry for being too vague ;)

So I guess that's where I'll cut it off for now. I'll try to get out another chapter with the second half of Daisy's first day on the inside. Things will move a little more quickly now that the operation's in gear.

Thanks for the reviews/follows/support everyone! I appreciate it!

Until next time...

~DG~