Disclaimer: I do not own the Fable universe. Characters you do not recognize were created by me for the purposes of this story. Changes have been made to the region of Silverpines. The area is larger and certain buildings have been added. I have added details about the balverines, so do not be surprised if you read a detail or two that the game does not cover.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, any and all feedback is appreciated! - Fallon.
Chapter Three
"We are not as strong in numbers as we used to be, Princess," Ezra began, "our family members have been picked off by Reaver for years."
Maya cringed at the mention of the disgusting tycoon. Between balverines and Reaver, it was tough to say who she hated more. "What does he have to do with anything?"
Von turned to her and snarled. "Everything!"
Ezra nodded solemnly. "Von is right, many of our problems start and end with that man."
Maya shrugged. "He does have a way of making life difficult for people..."
"Difficult!" Von`s face twisted with anger, "You have no idea what he has done to us!"
"Then enlighten me, wolf-boy." She teased, her hand on her hip.
Von growled, revealing long and lethal canines. His face twisted. It was almost like someone was forcibly re-arranging his bone structure. His nose stretched out, taking on the primitive look of a muzzle.
Ezra glared at him, and Von pressed his lips together and allowed his face to take on human features but kept a firm glare fixed on Maya. Needless to say, it was not a good start to a partnership.
Maya was glad Ezra was the leader, if she had to negotiate with Von she might do something stupid – like introduce him to her Dragonstomper. She still didn't particularly like Ezra, but compared to his brother she supposed he was the lesser of two evils. And they were just that – evil.
Ezra calmly answered her questioned. "Many years ago, Reaver approached our father and proposed a truce. Reaver swore to protect all balverines in the Pine, forbidding his men from hunting us, so long as we acted as his elite guards. It was a decent arrangement, we received food and didn't get killed and Reaver got balverine bodyguards."
"Something tells me the story doesn't end well." Maya offered.
Ezra took a sip of wine before shaking his head. "He slaughtered our father, the former Alpha of the family. The deviant waited until we foolishly began to trust him, and he sprung his trap. He skinned our father of his pelt and dumped his mutilated body on the edge of our lands."
"What happened to his pelt?" Maya asked quietly.
Ezra frowned. "He kept it. I have seen him wearing it on occasion."
Maya shuddered. "How morbid..." And she meant it, it was appalling. Reaver was practically wearing his victim, parading it around all of Albion. It was like he was hoping the family would see him.
"Indeed," Ezra said sadly, "I know you don't like us, Maya. But at least we only hunt mercenaries. And we bury them when we are finished our meal."
That surprised Maya, she never would have guessed a balverine could have a conscience, even a small one. She looked to Von, he seemed to notice her shock but said nothing.
"After he killed your father, the truce fell apart, didn't it?"
"Completely."
"He ordered his men to hunt us," Von explained, "told them he would pay them five thousand gold for ever balverine he was brought, he offered eight thousand for live balverines."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why would he care to take them alive?"
Von shifted uncomfortably on his feet and stared at the ground.
"He sends them to the arena." Vienna said softly, almost in a whisper. Her golden eyes were full of pain.
"What arena?"
Ezra was startled. "Do the nobles in the castle not know? It is barbaric! Completely and utterly horrible!"
"He captures creatures from around Albion and pits them against each other in the Silverpines arena. Sometimes men pay to fight certain...exotic creatures – and they pay a lot." Von said evenly.
"And balverines are considered exotic?" Maya avoided looking at any of them as she spoke.
"Very," Ezra said with a nod, "though not as exotic as the creatures from across the ocean. We are stubborn, you see, and difficult to kill...if you're not a hero. The people of Albion have a lot of anger toward us, and are always eager for some retribution."
Maya considered his words, trying to figure out just what he wanted her to do. "What is it you want me to do in order to secure your support?"
"It is simple, Princess," Ezra calmly purred, "you must return my father's pelt."
That meant breaking into Reaver`s mansion, or stealing it from his person. Difficult, but surely not impossible. "Done."
"And..." Von started.
Ezra smirked to his brother and then looked back to Maya. "When you are Queen, I would ask that you demolish the Silverpines Arena – too many have died there."
That seemed easy enough. "Agreed."
"We ask one more thing." Vienna interjected softly.
"Then ask it."
Vienna gave a small smile. "When the crown rests on your brow, swear that you will end the senseless slaughter of balverines in Silverpines."
Senseless?
Maya may have sympathized with some of their issues, but she certainly hadn't changed her mind about them. Still, promises made now can be broken later, she supposed. The idea of making a promise with the intention of breaking it later was unnerving, but she reminded herself that she was talking about balverines, not normal citizens of Albion.
"I agree to your terms." Maya extended her hand to Ezra.
Ezra shook his head. "We shake when my father's pelt is returned to me."
She tried not to roll her eyes, they feared trusting her? "Fine by me, how will I know what one belongs to your father though? Surely Reaver has many pelts."
Vienna looked to her mate. "We expect that he does."
"And that is why we are sending Von with you." Ezra declared.
"What?" Von bellowed, his voice deep and menacing.
Maya was equally against the idea, but kept her mouth shut. She just wanted to get back to the surface and out of the Pine.
"You will go with her, brother," Ezra glared at the younger man, "you know the scent and look of our father's pelt - she does not."
He gestured angrily to Loki. "Then send him! I have the higher rank!"
Ezra took a blindingly quick step forward and wrapped his fingers around Von`s neck. "You will go with her, you will ensure she survives, and you will not question me again...brother."
He released Von, allowing the young man a much needed breath of air. Von nodded to Ezra, but kept his blue-white eyes fixed on Maya.
She rolled her eyes and groaned, it was going to be an interesting night.
Maya stood around the corner from Reaver`s mansion. She was waiting for Von to join her. It was the second time in less than a day she found herself waiting for a balverine - she didn't like it one bit.
She peeked around the corner. There was only one guard at the gate, but she still suspected getting past him was going be difficult. The gate was sturdy looking and she guessed approaching the mansion from the wooded side wasn't going to be an option - even with a balverine companion. That left approaching from the lake - an interesting idea, but she never liked the smell of wet dog and surely Von would reek to high heaven after a swim.
"What's the plan?"
Maya spun around and smacked the person who had snuck up on her.
Von growled and clenched his cheek. "What the hell!"
"Don't you dare sneak up on me again, wolf-boy!"
His eyes narrowed. "I didn't sneak, you were just daydreaming. That's not my fault, it's yours."
"I knew you coming was going to be a bad idea." She muttered through clenched teeth.
"I agree with you on that, Princess."
She tried to resist the urge to punch him. "Well then leave, I'll tell Ezra you stayed and fought beside me. I don't need you."
"You wouldn't notice an Alpha`s pelt if it was standing in front of you..." He said under his breath.
"Then tell me what it looks like and be gone!"
He growled. "That may work with the servants at the castle, but you don't control me, Princess."
She threw up her hands. "I've know you less than a day and already I can't stand you - it's a new record, you should be proud." She looked back at the mansion, tired of looking at his smug face.
He gave a wicked and seductive smirk. "Oh I am, Princess."
Maya huffed and kept looking at the mansion, pretending to be occupied with thinking of a plan to get them inside.
Von sighed. "I suggest we approach from the lake, it's dark enough your hair won't alert the guards to our location."
Maya looked back at him over her shoulder. "If you have a problem with my hair you don't have to look at me!"
"Hmm, I don't know...the view isn't too bad from back here..."
Maya spun around on her heels. "Here is the deal, wolf-boy! You keep your infected eyes off of me and bite your tongue through this and we may get through this without killing each other!"
"Infected!" He stood up tall, about to wring her neck with his bare hands. How dare she call him that! She may have been a hero, but she was down right unbearable.
"W-Who goes there?"
The guard had heard them.
"Damn." Maya whispered.
Von playfully glared at her, a cocky smirk on his pale lips. "This is your fault."
Maya pressed her finger to his chest. "You...you...bloody balverine!"
"Is that the best you could come up with?" He said with a chuckle.
"S-Show yourselves!" The guard demanded. He was getting closer, the light from his torch was almost at Maya`s toes.
Von elbowed her. "What is your plan, Princess?" He could jump away at any time without fear of being caught, but he was far too interested to see what she planned on doing. Not so bad being a balverine now, he thought smugly.
"W-Who are you?" The guard asked, having rounded the corner. He had a firm grip on his torch, but his free hand was reaching for his sword.
Maya thought quickly. "We're looking to see Reaver."
"You can't just walk in and expect he wants to see you!" The guard said with a chuckle.
Maya bit her lip and gave the guard her most seductive gaze. "But we wanted to play with him..."
The guard eyed her. "Hmm, you a whore little lady?"
Von was stunned into silence but watched Maya with wide eyes.
"No, sweetheart - I'm just a devoted fan." She put her hand on her hip. Her display was a little dramatic, but the guard seemed to be falling for it.
The guard nodded to Von. "And who is he?"
"A very, very curious friend of mine," she smirked, "he is just dying to meet Reaver."
"Really?" He looked to Von, "He doesn't seem the type..."
Maya knew Von wasn't going to play along, so she quickly thought of a solution. In her softest voice, she whispered to the young guard, "He likes to watch..."
The boy swallowed hard. "W-Watch what, lady?"
"Everything, love, absolutely everything..." She batted her eyes, just like she had seen the barmaids do in the taverns to earn a couple extra coins.
The guard's hands were shaking and Maya was strangely proud. Not too bad for a spur of the moment plan, she thought.
The boy gained control of himself. "Fine, I'll let you in, but if Reaver doesn't want to play with you two then you both die!"
Maya hurried to follow the guard, beckoning for Von to follow her.
As he picked up his pace, he had no idea of what to expect inside the mansion, and that didn't sit well with him. He had longed to reclaim his father's pelt for years but never found the opportunity to break in.
He had to hand it to the girl, she may have been incredibly annoying and hate filled but she had thought on her feet and got them inside.
He knew she hated him with every fibre of her being though, so he wasn't too thankful.
Maya paced around the parlour the guard had left them in. He had hurried off to inform Reaver that they were there, but Maya hoped he took his time. She needed to think rationally, just as Walter would want her too. Gods, what would Walter say if he knew where she was! She knew she should have informed him instead of leaving Silverpines through a secret exit the family had.
"Any idea of where it would be?" She said quietly.
Von stretched from his spot on the lounge. "Probably his private rooms, he takes pride in it and wouldn't let it out of his sight for long."
"And how are we going to get there?"
Von shrugged. "You flirted your way in here, flirt your way into his private rooms."
Maya threw a book from the desk at him. "How dare you imply that I would do that! Remember who you are talking to, wolf-boy."
"It was a suggestion, don't get angry, Princess."
She glared at him. "How can you say that? You purposely push my buttons, wolf-boy!"
"I push your buttons by just being what I am, deary." He sneered.
She was about to chew him out when the door to the parlour opened. Maya turned around and came face to face with the deviant of her nightmares.
Reaver was tall, impossibly handsome and a sadistic monster. She had heard tales of his crimes and had made it a point to avoid him...until now. He approached them and smirked, eyeing Maya up and down.
He kept walking toward her, but Maya didn't budge. She tried to look like she wanted him closer and reminded herself that what she was going was for the people of Albion. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed allies and if that included balverines she would do it.
Reaver glanced over to Von, who had stood and kept his eyes glued to the man who had killed and humiliated his father.
If Reaver recognized either of them he said nothing.
"Oh, what a beautiful sight!" Reaver beamed with a lecherous smile on his lips, "Two play things come to my door, what marvellous luck I have!"