Morning in the Academy Of Magic, but this time as everybody else were training outside, with Kirby seen to currently enjoy the warm water of the Spa Zone as he is being watched over by Jerry the Mouse and Alfred Pennyworth, Aristidis, Louise, Siesta, Kirche and Charlotte were in the central building, inside the known room and upon their bed, watching together in the TV the story of Middle Earth.
Specifically, and currently, the scene from The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, where Gandalf the Grey is seen, after facing a large group of Orcs, running with haste through a dark fortress for escape, only to be stopped while on a stone bridge by an etherial yet malicious voice that speaks in the black speech "There is no light, wizard..." just before the wizard notices much to his shock a giant mass of black smog covering his way forth.
"...That can defeat darkness." The voice finishes, as the smog of darkness slowly attempts to engulf him, with the voice and words sending chills into the girls watching the scene.
Gandalf alarmed brings his staff above him, generating a protective barrier of light all around him, with the smog of darkness violently now striking at it from most sides in an attempt to break it.
Seeing the grey wizard trying his absolute best to keep the said smog back, and even more after the darkness breaks with a strong push the barrier only for him to immediately find his footing to cast it around him again and truly show the struggle he is going through, the girls were all cheering for him, really wanting him to make it out alive from this, but once the barrier of light breaks once more, the smog of darkness retreats back as he attempts to cast another barrier, but stops once he notices the unnatural flame taking slowly form in the middle of the darkness, as the sinister music of the moment begins, the vaguely made figure giving off a near-demonic, if not outright, presence, which brings back to the now surprised girls that eerie feeling, but worse.
A wind then starts pushing the wizard as he struggles to stay where he is, the staff he is holding now turning slowly to dust, before much to his shock its entirety is no longer there, right before the dark smog grabs him, and lifts him high, only to then force him hard down onto the stone floor of the bridge with his front, with Louise now screaming a big "NO" as she nearly gets up in disbelief of what she is seeing.
The said smog then proceeds to lift and push Gandalf high at the wall behind him, where he is held for the moment, and as he looks at the flaming figure, while the structure around the place he is held crumbles and breaks down by the force of the being before him, the next moment the said flaming figure turns black, and immediately flames burst all around it, making the shape of a giant flaming eye, with the now black figure acting as the slit-shaped pupil itself, shocking the wizard as he now sees the being for who he really is.
"Sauron..." He names weakly and actually scared of the presence.
The four girls move closer to the Storyteller and hold him tightly, now frightened of what they see as darkness and evil personified, especially Charlotte due to seeing the entity as a ghost, as the scene proceeds to move within the eye of Sauron, only for it to show layers and layers of itself, which only increases the tension the girls feel further.
Then out of nowhere, the ringtone of Swan Lake from Aristidis's phone loudly sounds, resulting in the girls screaming from absolute fright because of the suddenness and combination with the previous tension, which startles the former due to not expecting it.
The pitch-black Storyteller while chuckling greatly amused pauses the TV and takes his phone from behind him, using both hands for both. "Girls, girls, relax, it is just Queen Henrietta calling. Also, this must be the loudest I have ever heard you scream, dear Charlotte, not even in bed your voice reaches that high." Says the last part toward the girl with a mischievous expression.
That causes the blue-haired girl to half-cover her face with both hands in response, blushing and a bit embarrassed at the last one, while the redhead and the black-haired one with awkward smiles pat her on the head by using one hand each as a way to comfort her, as the pink-haired girl looks at him with a disapproving expression, not quite liking his suddenly lewd behavior.
"Anyway, let us see now what her Majesty needs." Aristidis says, just before he presses the button on his phone to accept the call while putting it on the ear. "Good morning to you from me, Louise, and everybody else, your Majesty! What can we do for you today?"
(=A good morning to you all as well, Aristidis.=) Henrietta begins through the phone. (=Also, I know I might be asking for much, but could we please talk in secret. It is very important.=) Says the last parts with obvious seriousness in her voice.
The Storyteller's expression turns neutral that moment, and then looks at the rest as he puts a hand upon the phone's front to cover it, so Henrietta will not listen to the next words. "Girls, it appears that the Queen is in a secretive mood."
The girls look at each other, confused and concerned with that sudden secrecy of hers, and wondering why she doesn't trust them all with this.
Aristidis in the meantime gets up and walks a few feet away while looking back at them, his cape seen hanging on a chair nearby as he walks past it. "Worry not, I will tell you what it was about once back nevertheless."
After saying that, he vanishes from the spot, and reappears at a great height far above the academy, levitating in place as he removes the hand from the front, and places the device back onto his ear with a kind expression, and secretly mischievous. "We are all alone, you may tell me with absolutely no worry about whatever!"
The scene at the moment cuts to the palace, and then at the Queen who is currently seen sitting upon the bed inside her room, with Agnes standing next to her and serious while also appearing to carry on her back a big and long object covered properly with a black cloth. "Good. Because what I am to tell you is of utmost secrecy."
(=You don't say.=) The Storyteller says with signs of obvious yet playful sarcasm, which the Queen doesn't show to realize. (=Continue.=)
Henrietta's expression turns serious. "I have devised a plan to catch a traitor in the act."
(=Nice rhyming!=) Aristidis admits pleased, much to her confusion, before he himself gets seemingly serious. (=And you want my help for this to go smoothly, obviously.=)
"Exactly." She admits.
(=Alright, I believe he has to be high enough up there for you to be this serious, we are talking about quite the conspiracy here in other words, so I have a few people in the Tome that can be of VERY appropriate help to you with that.=) He tells her with much of glee.
"No." The Queen tells him, which earns her his confusion, as she proceeds to explain. "I have granted to Iroh and his son Lu Ten their day's leave, because I wanted them as little involved in this as possible. That goes for all the others of your Tome as well. Because you have to admit that your people are too... Peculiar to the eye. And any sightings of them nearby is bound to cause suspicions, thus making them unsuitable for this."
(=So... You simply want me and Louise to come to a specific place under proper disguise instead?=) The Storyteller asks her.
"Yes." Henrietta answers.
"I want you and Louise..." She trails off as she appears to think carefully of the last one, before changing mind a long moment later. "Actually on second thought, do not bring Louise with you. Her appearance might still cause suspicions, taking into consideration her connection she has with me."
(=Too bad, she really loves helping her dear, childhood friend.=) He tells her while feeling a bit bad for the pink-haired girl.
"As I was saying!" The Queen begins with slight dynamism in an attempt to suppress her need to feel too bad for leaving her childhood friend out of this, as she focuses to what is needed to be said. "I want you to go to that Charming Fairy Inn in Tristania you visited once before, according to your report back then with the corrupted Nobles, and be on standby till my arrival. I will explain everything once there."
(=Sounds like you are taking quite the risk to bring the said man to justice for you to come by yourself, and I can already see part of your plan with that move.=) Aristidis tells with great interest. (=But for now, I will go along with the first part like asked, and see along the way how it moves on exactly.=)
Henrietta sweat drops and smiles. "As always, you are quite the overly knowledgeable one, Aristidis."
(=Of course I am.=) The Storyteller says with much of pride.
(=So... What are you wearing?=) He then asks, his voice seductive.
"Eh?" She utters confused, before looking at herself, with the Captain of the Musketeers raising an eyebrow at her. "Well... The usual royal dress. Why-"
(=Do you want to know what I am wearing right now?=) Aristidis asks next, with Agnes now leaning close to the phone Henrietta holds to listen out of both curiosity and suspicion.
But before she answers, the scene cuts to him, still in the air and capeless, where he immediately interrupts her. "Don't answer. It is literally nothing."
There is a short pause from the Queen, till she decides to ask understandably confused the following. (=Is-Isn't that like all the time?=)
The Storyteller lets out a quick gasp of shock while proceeding to look at his phone offended. "How rude! I usually wear my cape, thank you very much."
~A Few Minutes Later~
The scene shows outside at the academy's courtyard Aristidis, wearing his luxurious cape now, in front of Louise, Siesta, Charlotte and Kirche, while he checks something into his open Tome. "Extra food for the kitchen. Check. A quiet battery for the spa in the Spa Zone so you don't need the Tome. Check. Extra guards for you to be absolutely safe while I am away. Check."
"Aristidis, come on, you will be missing for half a day at most, no need for such excessive measures." Louise tells him with a sweat drop, before she puts both hands at her hips while looking confident and proud. "And I mean, you know how powerful I have become nowadays. I can take on anything and anyone that dares threaten us."
"Better safe than sorry, dearest Louise." He tells her, before closing the Tome to look at the four. "Now..."
The mouthless Storyteller with a happy face proceeds to quickly hug the pink-haired girl, who happily hugs him back, then quickly give Siesta a little rub on her nose using his own, which she happily mimics, then quickly hug Charlotte from behind while pressing his cheek onto hers, much to her delight, but when in front of Kirche, and just before he does anything, she grabs him with both hands by the head, and kisses him passionately as he stays there surprised for a short moment, only to follow her example, in a sense at least, no mouth after all, before unhanding each other while stepping away to go back to where he was as he turns to them like before.
"Still, I hate that we have to stay behind instead of helping her Highness." Louise says disappointed, with the other three sharing the feeling at their own levels.
"You will receive many opportunities in the future to offer a hand of assistance when needed most, be sure about it." Aristidis tells them, which reassures them, and then bows formally before them. "But for now, I bid you farewell, and l will be seeing you all later for my little narration of my secret mission."
After that, with a flip of his cape he vanishes through its cover while it follows suit, with the scene at the same time changing to Tristania, some moments later and right outside of the Charming Fairy Inn.
It then shows the inside of the door, just before it opens suddenly by a hand, as Aristidis is shown with pale skin, brown messy hair, and wearing a red collar-like scarf, which is pulled upward enough to cover both his mouth and nose, green shirt and trousers with a simple dirty black belt around the waist, brown boots, which he used as disguise in the past once, his expression enthusiastic. "Henry has come back to visit!"
He then raises an eyebrow though, as he witnesses in front of him the burly owner of the Inn that is Scarron, wearing a purple long-haired wig and red dress with green frills, who was facing just a moment ago his daughter Jessica, who has her black hair tied to a long ponytail, and wearing a mostly white and red uniform, with yellowish epaulets at her shoulders, kind of making her look like your typical prince, with many other of the female employees around her with different dresses and holding in their hands overly decorated, folding fans.
As they notice him, they immediately understand who he is and smile joyfully.
Scarron approaches him fast with a big smile. "Henry- erm, I mean-"
The disguised Storyteller moves quickly and covers the man's stumbling mouth with a hand. "No, no, you were right, it IS Henry. There is an incredibly important reason for the disguise again, so please roll with it." Whispers the last part before unhanding him.
"Ah, I see, I see." The man in the dress whispers back with an understanding nod, with all that secrecy intriguing his daughter quite a bit.
Aristidis looks around him for a moment, and other than the emptiness of the Inn, due to the early opening hour, he also spots upon the wall nearby a properly decorated poster, despite the overuse of heart-shapes, with the faces of both Scarron and Jessica in their costumes, looking at each other in a romantic manner, with the title placed right below.
"Vacation In Tristania." He reads the said title curiously.
Jessica approaches him as well. "Yeah. As you can see, we are going to be playing tonight in the Taniariji Royal Theater."
"My beauty has finally been accepted by the world!" Scarron dreamily and lost to his own world says with much of delight while moving with a spin a few feet away, and both hands clasped together, as the other employees mimicking him in the same manner out of support.
The disguised Storyteller leans to the side close to the daughter, wanting to whisper to her. "Either that, or the owner of the theater is using this for comedic reasons, because of how ridiculously funny he finds the idea. Which if it is the case, he is rather cruel to your father."
"I have met the owner, and don't worry, he is actually a good and accepting person." She whispers back to him with a smile.
Aristidis backs a bit while turning to her with a kind expression. "Oh, then that changes things. Good for him."
He then looks back at the man in the dress who is surrounded by the many other female employees while dancing about, probably testing part of the show that will take place in that theater, and notices something. "Quite the number of employees I see from the last time I visited."
The black-haired girl in the costume turns her sights at them too, as she then happily proceeds to recall the past days. "The place became especially popular after your little show here with that Tax Collector back then. Not only it earned us much of money, not counting your generous gift by the way, and we were barely having any days without customers to serve, but that said popularity brought in many girls who wanted to be part of this little establishment of ours too."
"Great to know things are going so well with your work here." The disguised Storyteller says honestly, before closing in to put an arm around her shoulders, as she looks at him somewhat confused, his face now seductive. "So, how have you been, dear Jessica?"
"U-Umm..." Jessica utters with a sweat drop, feeling awkward with him hitting on her all of a sudden like that. "I've been good, I suppose."
She then forgets her awkwardness a few seconds after, as her great curiosity takes over. "So, what are you here for exactly with that disguise? Try to catch a corrupted Noble by surprise like before?"
"Something like that." He answers with a small chuckle out of amusement. "But I will need to stay here and wait for now, and you know what I am to do while waiting, no?"
"Hm?" The black-haired girl in the costume utters questionably with a raised eyebrow, not quite getting where he is going with that one.
~An Hour Or So Later~
As the Inn is now officially in working hours, and with an adequate number of customers, the scene shows Aristidis seated at a table together with at least four of the female employees keeping him company, as he is brought upon the said table beers and food for him and them, while joyfully raising their mugs in unison. "Cheers!"
When doing that, they drink some, with him lowering the scarf just enough to do so before quickly putting back on, and then he begins laughing. "Enjoying my time here while waiting- now THAT is what I am talking about!"
"Got room for one more, fellow from the academy?" A voice from the side asks as it draws their attention, and they see Julio approaching with his characteristic, charming smile.
The disguised Storyteller is a bit surprised, before his expression turns kind. "I will call you the Spanish Inquisition, for truth be told, I did not expect you. How did you guess it was me among the rest?" Asks as he now stirs the beer in the mug he holds with a circling movement of his hand while looking at it.
"I just had to spot the one who pays the most, and who covers his mouth." The blond priest simply answers.
"Fair enough." Aristidis says, and then with his free hand indicates the priest. "Ladies, this is Julio, say hi Julio."
"Hi, Julio!" The four girls greet him with a smile in response, with the said priest waving happily a hand at them.
"Very good." Aristidis tells them pleased, before pointing his finger at the adequately distanced counter. "Also apologies, but I will have you wait for five minutes or so by the counter. Need to be all secret-like with my friendly fellow here, you understand."
The girls comply by getting up, bowing respectfully before him, and walking there as asked without bothering to get curious or ask anything about it.
Julio sits next to Aristidis, and appears rather curious as he leans close enough to whisper. "Back to the mouth part though, why don't you just make one for yourself to not depend on the scarf?"
The disguised Storyteller gives him a bored look. "You think I wouldn't do it to further perfect my disguise if I could?"
"Hm. Good point." The blond priest responds with a thoughtful expression, while also confused as to why among everything else, it is THAT which he can't do, speaking about what he knows of the Storyteller that is.
Aristidis relaxes his expression. "So, what is the reason of your appearance here? Or is it actually a coincidence you are here while I am as well- Please tell that is the case." He hopes at the end there while giddy about it, for some reason really liking the very idea of it being a coincidence.
Julio is almost caught off guard by that sudden change in behavior, and smiles again as he chuckles for a short moment due to finding him amusing. "Honestly, I am here to simply keep you company while you wait for the Queen."
That causes the disguised Storyteller to pause for a moment while seemingly considering of what he was told, and then gives him a mischievous look. "And enjoy the employees' treatment too, right?"
The blond priest shares the feeling while straightening himself normally again. "You know it."
Aristidis laughs amused for a moment. "Haa, you and I are going to get along JUST fine."
After saying that, he reaches below the table and puts upon it at the space between them with his free hand a big bag filled with gold coins, obvious from its open top. "It is my treat. So you better enjoy while the church still allows you to." Tells the last part while whispering close to him before moving back normally again.
Julio looks at Aristidis for a moment, and then smiles a bit more appreciatively at him with a small shrug of the shoulders. "How can I say no to that?"
The disguised Storyteller with enthusiasm signs with a hand at the female employees by the counter to approach. "Come here, our ladies of the day! Prepare your mugs, ready your excitement, for we will treat this day like a proper celebration."
~Moments Later~At Lishman's Mansion~
The scene moves outside of a big mansion, the weather dark and heavy with rain.
Hidden well by the side of the building, Agnes, the Captain of the Musketeers is seen waiting there on top of her horse while covered enough by her green cloak and hood, and determined.
After giving the report to Lishman, Chair President of Legal Affairs, about the Queen's sudden disappearance, and after receiving the sign asked for, so she and her Musketeers may, supposedly, block off major roads and ports, instead of actually leaving the mansion, she was awaiting there for some time now, watching carefully for the moment Lishman will make the expected move.
While at it, she takes a look at the big object upon her back and covered by the black cloth.
Her eyes narrow as a flashback begins.
The said flashback shows her in front of the pitch-black Storyteller close to the shadowy side of the wall surrounding the academy from the outside, her face shocked, and his face gleeful.
"How?!" She asks upset and confused, with a dynamic step forward.
"I am a powerful man with many ways of seeing and hearing everything that is going on around the place of my stay, so it is of no surprise." Aristidis simply tells her, and then rolls his eyes. "But really now, did you seriously expect I will not get myself involved in this somehow, once I learn about it?"
The Captain of the Musketeers frustrated about keeps on looking at him for a moment longer, before relaxing her face as she straightens up her posture normally while now looking serious. "And what do you want now exactly from me?"
He puts a hand upon her shoulder with a kind expression. "Knowing about your past will be a good start."
She looks at the hand on her shoulder, and then at him, her eyes narrowing a bit more out of suspicion. "And if I don't speak?"
"You may or you may not if that is what you wish, I will not press you into revealing things you don't want to share." The mouthless Storyteller tells her, and then unhands her as he turns his back on her while taking a step forward with both hands, and Tome, behind the said back, and looks back at her with half an eye. "I already know after all about what happened to your village, except for the reason that is, but I thought you will feel better if you talk about it."
Agnes stays as she is for a moment longer, before looking downward with a somewhat more relaxed face. "I look for the exact reason too, but frankly... I won't care either way. The only thing I want is for the ones responsible to pay, even if it is the last thing I will achieve." Says the last part while tightening her fists out of anger which she is not really showing fully.
"I see." Aristidis simply utters. "In this case we go straight to the point."
After that, and after catching her curious attention, he turns around soon after with a kind expression to reveal holding in his two hands before him a big object of some kind, tied and covered properly with a black cloth. "Please accept this temporary gift of mine."
The Storyteller continues now with glee, as the Musketeer Captain raises an eyebrow at that. "A little something to ensure you will deliver justice with ease upon the one you are to face. Just remember, once done, I need it back so I may return it to the Slayer. Let us just say he is rather fond of this one for his work. I have a large amount of ammunition ready so you may test it, before using its services in actual combat." Says at the end as he proceeds to unwrap it with a hand for her to see, only for the flashback to end there and move the scene back to her and her hiding spot at the side of the mansion under the heavy rain.
Agnes keeps on looking at the wrapped object behind upon her back. "To think that commoners can create powerful weapons like this..." She whispers to herself as she trails off because of the awe she feels.
The sound of a horse galloping then snaps her attention forward again, seeing who is most likely one of Lishman's informants, and after a short moment of tactical waiting, she immediately orders with the reins her horse to go after him, so she may reach his destination, and find out of the spy he is to make contact with.
No matter what, revenge, by the the end of this, will be hers.
~A Few Minutes Later~
The scene now moves straight back to the disguised Storyteller and the blond priest, who now together enjoy the delights the female employees are bringing along with their company, bringing the number up to six who sit at the table with the two now.
Aristidis is his usual joyous self, and Julio is seemingly drunk and shows an unceasing desire for cheering while lifting his mug, with both the former and company going along with it, for the fun of it.
As he proceeds to drink some more, the disguised Storyteller is stopped halfway by a buzzing, before taking with his free hand from behind him and checking his phone to see that it is Queen Henrietta the one calling.
Understanding that it's time, he puts the mug down upon the table, and puts a hand at the blond priest's shoulder as he draws attention on him. "Looks like it is about time for my leave, friend."
Julio is confused for a moment, till he remembers about the secret mission. "Oh right. It's ok, I will enjoy the rest of the time here in your stead." Says the last part with a smile while turning to the employees at their table, before proceeding to lift his mug with a loud cheer once more.
Aristidis is amused by his behavior, and as he unhands him and waves his hand at him goodbye while turning to leave, the scene moves outside of the establishment's back door, where Henrietta is seen with a darkened cloak and hood covering both her royal dress and head, as she holds the phone close to her ear with a hand, expecting anxiously for him to answer the call, while avoiding the rain by staying under the adequate cover as she stands there next to the said back door.
Eventually, the click she was expecting sounds as she hastily grasps the phone with her other hand too. "H-Hello? Aristidis?"
(=It is I, speaking to you through my exceptionally great disguise. Also my phone.=) The Storyteller begins proudly, and ends it with some humor.
The Queen giggles a bit at that, but then shakes it off as she tries to focus on their serious mission. "Let us focus, my friend. Are you here like I asked you to?"
(=Yes, and I am coming to open the door for you.=) He tells her.
That appears to confuse her quite a bit. "Wait, do you even know where-"
Before she completes that line, the door next to her suddenly opens, startling her, with the disguised Storyteller revealing himself as he looks at her. "How is there any way I DO NOT know?"
After looking at his disguise up and down for a quick moment, while he closes his phone and putting it back, Henrietta's expression afterward turns bewildered due to the fact he somehow knew where she was. "How did you...?"
"Are you going to make unnecessary questions, or step inside with me and out of this rainy and dark afternoon?" Aristidis asks her as he indicates with a hand at the open door he went through not long ago.
The Queen looks at him for a moment longer, before deciding to simply nod in agreement and step inside with him, while putting her own phone back to her pocket, thinking that he most likely used magical means to know of her location. It is common knowledge that he is all-powerful, after all.
The disguised Storyteller leads her all the way without anyone's notice upstairs to a simple room of the Inn, opens the door for her out of proper politeness, and closes/locks the door behind them as she sits upon the bed there, with him then stepping in front of her.
He notices that moment how her cloak, and royal dress were almost completely wet from the heavy rain she definitely went through, and lifts a hand. "Give me a moment."
As Henrietta wonders what is this about while he snaps his fingers, she notices soon after how her whole being begins glowing an orange, warm light, before it dissipates a few seconds later for her to see and feel that both her clothings and she herself are as dry as when she left the palace, which is more than enough to astonish her. "Amazing..."
"Wouldn't be nice having you catch a cold now, am I wrong?" Aristidis rhetorically asks with a wink.
She smiles at that. "Your kindness is as admirable as always, Aristidis."
"A role model for all, I know." He says pompously with a raised head and a hand to the chest, causing her to sweat drop with an awkward smile at his arrogance, but then looks at her a bit more seriously while folding his arms. "In any case, may I know now that we are all alone and safe about that plan of yours? I know about the end goal, but still details are in order."
"You are right." The Queen says, and kind of appears to feel awkward while thinking of how to say the following. "The truth is, that I need you to act as my bodyguard for several hours."
Aristidis raises an eyebrow at that.
Which serves as more than enough to trouble her while she tries to find her composure. "I-I know this might be too much of me to ask of someone of your status, but it is of great necessity if I want this to work."
"I am not making that face out of offence." The disguised Storyteller reassures her, before showing a kind face. "It is just... Wouldn't Guardian sound far better to the ear? I do believe it would."
Henrietta blinks a few times, somewhat off guard by that, but decides to go with the flow as she smiles awkwardly at him. "S-Sure. My all-mighty guardian, then."
"Much better." Aristidis says happy with a nod, and then his expression turns gleeful as he wags a finger at her. "By the way, it appears my assumption about you issuing an emergency of your own disappearance was correct in the end."
That catches her attention as he continues while pulling his hand back. "My Captain of the Tristania's Oblivion Guard told me about the uproar out there the sudden disappearance caused, and how every guard in the city is now looking for you. The plan smart in the sense that the traitor you are trying to lure out will not miss the supposedly great opportunity that arised, for him to try and begin his little procedure of overthrowing you and all, but still extremely risky of you to run away in hiding just to make it look perfect." Says the last part with a mildly serious face.
The Queen looks down and puts a hand above the other upon the middle of her dress, showing some of the pressure she is going through. "Simple misinformation would not work, so I had to be sure it will be believable."
The disguised Storyteller with a kind face crouches down and puts a hand of his upon hers, catching her now somewhat surprised attention. "Queen Henrietta, your willingness to do whatever it takes for a just cause is worthy of the greatest of praises. I really mean that. And worry not. For I will ensure not only your safety, but also the success of your plan in the case things decide to become more complicated than they should. You have my word on that."
Henrietta is emotionally moved by his words, before smiling heartwarmingly at the disguised man before her. "Thank you, Aristidis. Your words mean a lot to me."
After that, she gets up, with him straightening himself up while unhanding her, and shows a confident expression as she removes the darkened cloak off her. "We will need to move out now. The guards will come here to check soon, so we can't stay for too long."
"Of course." He agrees with her.
The Queen looks around the room for something for a moment, and then after a small pause looks at him, while tapping awkwardly both her index-fingers together. "Could I... Ask for a proper commoner disguise for myself?"
That immediately catches his great interest and enthusiasm. "OH! I have one that will be JUST perfect for you. You could say you and I will be quite the set with that." Says as he takes with both hands from behind him the Tome while opening it to check a specific page.
After some moments later pass, the scene moves outside at one of the many roads of Tristania, the rain falling upon the now muddy ground, with the guards checking every passerby they come across as they try to find the Queen hidden among them.
Past all those, an invisible form is seen moving while at the very side of the said road, before the scene moves close enough to reveal to the viewers the disguised Storyteller holding a big umbrella over himself and the now disguised Queen who wears a simple, brown/white surcote, with her hair tied to a very small bun, with the umbrella itself having over it, which also reaches till the ground, a large piece of cloth, which is the very reason they are unseen to all as they walk.
Henrietta while respectfully close to him looks around them, seeing how they are not being paid any attention at all. "They really don't see us at all." She whispers to ensure no one hears them, with some disbelief at the previous fact.
Aristidis utters a proud chuckle. "That is the invisibility cloak for you. Straight out of another world with magic, different but still similar to yours. Add a big umbrella appropriate for two people at most, and you do not only have a good enough stealthy option, but also drier clothes too. Take that rain." Whispers the last bit cockily while pointing a finger upward at the rainy sky.
His little, playful provocation against the rain is more than enough to amuse Henrietta as she puts a hand softly on her mouth to stop herself from giggling, with a bit escaping her at the start anyway.
The disguised Storyteller turns his head at her with a small shrug of his shoulders. "I mean, it does make the whole disguising act for the most part rather pointless, but still."
"True." The Queen agrees with a smile while appearing to somewhat show a child-like joy at their secret walk.
Aristidis turns his head again forward, but then seems to remember something, and leans his head a bit closer to hers, drawing her attention. "Oh, something I forgot to ask before, but where exactly are we to move once the time is right for your final move in this plan of yours?"
Henrietta's expression turns serious at the mention of it. "At the Taniariji Royal Theater. That is where the reports we have gathered with Agnes say the Chair President of Legal Affairs, and that spy from Reconquista he is in contact with meet to give information to them."
"Always at the same place for a scheme-based planning?" He asks with a raised eyebrow, before straightening himself normally again, his face disappointed. "Wow. That sure shows the full intellect of a person."
The disguised Queen can't help but sweat drop out of awkwardness at that comment, because taking into consideration Aristidis's great knowledge and intellect, it doesn't take much for her to understand that such matters should normally be resolved much faster.
It is frankly embarrassing to say the least.
As the two keep on walking, with him thinking of the coincidence about how the final destination is the very theater the Charming Fairy Inn owner and employees are to go to as well, Henrietta notices how they are about to go past a guard who is currently in the middle of checking two people, and who is neither too close to be on their way, nor too far to not appear as a possible obstacle.
But despite the said guard not being an issue for them, the disguised Queen thinks of this as an opportunity while her face gets mischievous for a short moment.
When she seems about to make her move, planning to move with a sudden movement close to him while using the already-stated-above fact as an excuse, the disguised Storyteller suddenly moves an arm above her shoulders, and quickly pulls her close to him as she yelps startled in response, and holding her close as they walk.
He looks at her seductively with half an eye. "Better stay close. We wouldn't want to risk you bumping onto anyone by accident now. Am I right?"
The disguised Queen blushes while looking at him a bit befuddled. "Um- Y-Yes."
As he moves his sight forward once more, she looks at the hand that it's holding her close, then at him, and while moving her sight forward too, she cannot believe how it turned like this instead, while also unsure as to how she should feel about it.
After a few moments of walking, the duo safely make it to another Inn, removing the invisibility cloak and umbrella once they were sure no one was looking, and paid the owner to let them use a room for a specific amount of time.
Once that was done, they go there, Aristidis opens the door, and they both walk inside as he appears to be talking about a subject, which started sometime on their way to the said Inn. "And that is the story of how she in a sense created her very own harem, which includes the ladies I told you about, without her even realizing it, and treating the show of their love and affection as just a friendship-thing. The girl was simply THAT dense."
Henrietta approaches the bed, as Aristidis closes/locks the door behind them, and sits down on it while sweat dropping out of surprise of what she has just heard. "I find so hard to believe how she did not realize it after all that time."
The disguised Storyteller walks and sits next to her with a somewhat bored expression. "It happens so often, that it has lost its surprise element on me."
"There are so many more like her in those stories of yours?" She questions with a semi-loud voice and wide open eyes, her disbelief just as great.
"Ludicrously many." He answers in a similar manner, like before. "Enough to seriously make you consider their density of being enough to rival a black hole itself. I know I did."
The disguised Queen is confused by that last part. "Black hole?"
"I will explain about it soon, but first..." Aristidis trails off, right before he spins his torso once, fast enough to not show the understandable abnormality of the moment, to show above his now extended-toward-her-hand three dimly-glowing images, of what he is about to name with a joyous face. "What would you prefer to enjoy while in standby here? A warm chicken soup, a delicious sweet and/or salty crepe, or a nice, well-decorated salad?"
As she looks at the three with interest, and leans a bit closer while thinking of her decision, a sudden, insistent knocking on the door begins, drawing both hers and his attention toward it.
"Open up! We are from the castle!" The demanding guard's voice behind of the said door loudly says, causing the disguised Queen's worry, before the handle begins moving up and down as he tries to open it, only to be met with resistance by the locked lock. "It's an emergency, we'll force our way in if we must!"
The disguised Storyteller gets up and turns toward the door unconcerned. "Let me take care of this. It won't take long-"
Before he completes and as he was about to take a step toward the said door, he is immediately grabbed from behind by Henrietta, and pulled back and down upon the bed, the sudden action startling and confusing him for a moment, with her now above him as she pulls down the scarf covering his mouthless part and kissing him passionately there, her body hugging his while touching him lovingly with a hand on his back and the other at the side of his face, while he just lies there, just looking at the latter as she does all that.
"Open up!" With one last shout the guard behind the door demands, as he and a second one break the lock with a last push, forcing their way in, before both their faces turn red at the sight upon the bed, with the disguised Storyteller now having a hand placed firmly onto her backside and his other on her back while their faces are covered well-enough by the continuous kissing, having not expected to witness what they consider as the beginning of love-making.
Not long after, the duo at the bed stay still for a second, with Aristidis then pulling from behind his head a flintlock which he aims at the two guards, greatly surprising them. "Got three seconds to leave before I take offence to that. One-"
The guards while stumbling a bit from hurriedness run out of the room and away, none of them wanting in the slightest the possibility of death over a misunderstanding.
Henrietta looks with half an eye at the still open door, while Aristidis puts the flintlock back and into nothingness, seeing that there is indeed no one there anymore, and removes her face from his, but as she is just about to apologize for her rudeness and recklessness, the disguised Storyteller brings the hand that was on her backside to her shoulder, and with a quick movement pushes and brings her on her back upon the bed as he now sits on top of her, both his hands holding her by the arms in place there while looking seductively at her now utterly surprised face.
Aristidis leans down a bit, bringing in a sense his face closer to hers, with the door closing suddenly by an invisible force and locks itself as if its lock was never broken. "I do believe it is the perfect time for you to admit it. Don't you think so too?"
"A-Admit what?" The disguised Queen asks while blushing and troubled as he in the meantime pats her repeatedly, and playfully across the neck with two fingers from his hand, in a supposed-walking-type manner.
He stops with the playful patting, and puts his hand affectionately upon her cheek as he moves his seductive face even closer. "You calling for just me and not for anybody else for this. The fact you specifically asked for me to escord you to a safe place, till it is the time to move out and take care of things. Many other people from my Tome could do the job, yet it is I you insisted for. Also, do I even need to mention that little attempt of yours moments ago while on the way here? Don't think I did not notice."
That troubles her even more as she blushes some more. "Th-Th-That's because-"
"You are not planning on using an excuse on me, are you?" Aristidis asks her seriously, before he taps her nose once using the tip of his finger from the other hand, having let go of both her arms officially, before his expression turns seductive once more, yet slightly gleeful. "Dear Henrietta, you know me far too well to understand there is no point in doing so. Especially at this point. I can literally feel your secret, great want. And I am not one to let it slide. Metaphorically that is."
Henrietta feels absolutely flustered with how things are evolving, and is unable to properly think of what she is to do in this situation.
She was not even planning to go that far to begin with!
The disguised Storyteller straightens his torso and head normally while still on top of her, his face somewhat relaxing as his skin turns pitch-black, with the disguise he is wearing slowly turning to pieces as if dust in the wind, eventually leaving him completely naked. "Simply give me the ok, and I will be proper in my next actions."
It is not about her not wanting, but still...
"B-But, I-I cannot use that pl-place with one I am not..." The blushing and disguised Queen trails off, her voice trembling while trying to stay proper in her manners, and also not to be swayed by his distractingly beautiful eyes and seemingly smooth, now completely exposed body, minus the one part below that is still appropriately covered by the skin layer.
"Ah. You mean the one part where every woman of royal lineage is checked daily to be assured of their purity, and cause no unwanted episode if it is revealed otherwise." Aristidis guesses according to his knowledge of the subject, and then leans once more down to bring his seductive face close to hers. "Well, worry not, for I know of three other places which nobody will bother themselves with checking. Well, technically four when considering that one specific spot which is an obvious set."
"E-Eh? What places do you-" Henrietta attempts to question both curious and still flustered about, only to be interrupted by the black screen and the known-
~An Hour Or So Later~
The scene shows the two relaxing on the bed, with Henrietta lying upon it naked and looking with slightly wide open eyes at the ceiling, her expression a mix of surprise and a bit of shock, while Aristidis with a hand behind his head lies sideways near the end of the bed, with the former's feet placed over his belly, as he reads from the now open Tome he holds with his other hand.
"Wow... Who would have thought I would use those places for such acts..." She trails off as she remembers their previous acts on the bed all this time, and then covers with both hands her once-more-blushing face.
"How deviated I have become!" She somewhat exclaims in disbelief, not out of shame really, but because of how much she actually liked it, which can be understood by both the tone in her voice and slightly uncovered smile.
"If you believe that as deviancy, then I suggest against you learning of the Fifty Shades Of Gray." He simply tells her while keeping his focus on his open Tome.
The purple-haired Queen straightens herself up in a sitting position as she uncovers her face to look at him, her eyes wide open from further surprise, for he pretty much just told her that everything they just did is nothing in comparison to the things people or beings do in those Fifty Shades story he is referring to, as she can understand.
By the Founder, just how much more depravity is even in there for their own acts to pale in comparison?!
(Better not tell her about far more extreme cases and places like in the Warhammer 40k.) The pitch-black Storyteller thinks to himself while a bit concerned for her mental health.
He closes the Tome and turns his head to her. "So, just to make it clear for myself mostly, we are keeping all this a secret from all, correct?"
"O-Of course we will!" Henrietta answers dynamically and highly concerned. "Can you imagine the uproar it will cause if everyone learns about our affair today?"
"I can." Aristidis simply answers, and then points at her. "And you are right. Especially the Nobles, or at least most of them, will immediately turn against you for it, either considering you unsuited to be their Queen or even simply because they want to use the fact as a reason to earn power so they may lead the kingdom themselves, and no, they will not listen to reason no matter how convincing I personally am."
She sweat drops while thinking of how incredibly detailed he is each time about anything serious thought that is presented to him, and that is kind of scary to her.
The mouthless Storyteller begins caressing affectionately with his free hand one of Henrietta's legs, drawing her curious attention that way, his face seductive. "Loved the experience?"
The Queen smiles at that, before moving herself enough to lie next to him, and hugging him with both arms around his shoulders and chest. "Yes. I loved you."
Aristidis's expression turns happy and giggles a bit in response, with his royal partner more than happy to have her feelings accepted, just as she had wished and expected all this time, before he reacts with some seriousness to a telepathic call that moment as he puts two of his fingers at the side of his head, confusing her for a moment, before nodding to himself and moving them down while looking at the Queen once more. "Your little traitor is halfway to reaching the place he is to converse with the spy."
Henrietta moves herself back while unhanding him as she gives him a wide eyed look of surprise. "How do you know that?"
He gets up and off the bed as his commoner disguise reappears onto his body, with the said body turning pale again, and turns to her with an expression filled with both glee and pride. "I mean, come on. Do you not know to who you are talking to?"
The Queen sweat drops upon being reminded of the power and effectiveness of his magic, as well the people he can call to assist him at every need, understanding well that there is no way for anyone to truly hide anything from him.
The Storyteller turns toward the door as his face now turns sinisterly gleeful. "Ready yourself, your Majesty. For it is about time we deal with this properly."
~Moments Later~At The Taniariji Royal Theater~
The moment of truth was near, and with the rain now gone as well, Henrietta has without issues and secretly met up with Agnes and her adequate group of Musketeers, all in cloaks and already in their positions within the theater by the seats.
Aristidis was nowhere to be found, though. Vanishing as soon as Henrietta reached both her destination and group.
Only the Founder knows, and if, about what he is planning to do.
Eventually Lishman, the gray-haired old man who is dressed in his official, mainly purple, and yellowish-trimmed robes, enters the building and moves to a specific seat close at the very middle, where a middle-aged man in brown clothing and with a thick brown mustache awaits, making apparent that the said man is the spy he was on cahoots with all this time.
And all that just as the tonight's play of the theater was in the middle of its overall performance, and it should be noted that the Captain of the Musketeers was now missing too.
"So, her Highness has yet to be found?" The Reconquista spy asks him quietly with a crooked smile.
"Yes, she is still missing." Lishman answers in the same manner, making obvious with the very same smile just how much the fact benefits them both.
The Reconquista spy's smile grows a bit more. "Then it's the time to finally make our move."
"Who knows where she is right now?" The traitorous Noble questions without asking really, simply saying it to show how much he likes his odds in this.
"I am right here." A voice behind them draws their confused attention, before they see a hooded and cloaked person seated there as she gets up, and removes/throws the cloak away to reveal herself as the very serious-looking Queen Henrietta, normally now in her royal dress. "I overheard everything, Lishman."
"Your Highness!" Lishman exclaims very surprised while getting up and fully turning toward her along with the spy, both caught off guard by her sudden appearance.
She continues. "I figured you'd make contact with the spy if I happen to go missing. The more you rush, the less careful you become. Even a cautious rat will show its tail in the end."
The traitorous Noble shows his crooked smile while sweat dropping. "I see, so you going missing was a trick to lure me out."
"Exactly." Henrietta answers, before her group of Musketeers with their swords unsheathed and ready reveal themselves, who were apparently hidden while seated close to her. "Lishman, Chair President of Legal Affairs, you are under arrest for treason."
That is when everyone around the theater took notice of the commotion, with the play stopping abruptly as a result, and could not help but be concerned with the swords drawn in their presence.
"The curtain has dropped, Lishman." She tells him, still all serious and sure of his capture.
"Are you sure about that?" Lishman asks her, the smile never leaving his face, right before a group of sword-wielders of his own reveal themselves in the same fashion next to him, ready to defend him as he readies his magic staff. "You are still naive, Henrietta!"
The current Musketeer in command gets alarmed by the sudden appearance and is immediately giving her command while pointing the sword forward. "Protect her Highness!"
"Kill Henrietta!" The traitorous Noble commands his subordinates while pointing them against the Musketeers.
But just as everyone was about to make a move, an invisible force of some kind suddenly forces all of the traitors and the spy, except Lishman, down upon the floor and seats they were standing on, and keeps them there, surprising everyone present as they remain in place watching the out of nowhere phenomenon, with the downed men commenting utterly confused and alarmed on how heavy they feel themselves being all of a sudden.
"The only ones naive here, are you and those who follow you." A man's voice coming from the bottom of the theater's staircase says, with all then looking there to see moving a few and careful steps upward a very tall, middle-aged man who keeps both eyes closed, has an X-shaped scar centered on the left side of his forehead that stretches over both eyes, short dark hair, a mustache and a beard, wears a white coat with yellowish epaulets in a cape-like manner over his light-purple yukata which is held up by a dark purple belt, the said yukata also underneath a purple cloak, geta sandals, and white bandages wrapped around both of his forearms with handguards on both hands, who is currently wielding a half-sheathed shikomizue (JapaneseSwordstick), who also most likely the one responsible for most of the traitors' sudden, forced intimacy with the floor. [Issho, also known as Fujitora, from One Piece, here to uphold the law]
"Your act of treachery will not go unpunished." The man continues with a serious expression, before he opens his eyes just enough to show there is only their white part there, making obvious his blindness. "I will personally see to it that you are brought to justice."
The scene then moves a bit to the side to also show in a seat next to the standing man the pitch-black Storyteller Aristidis, who turns his upper half to look with a raised eyebrow at the traitorous Noble, and wearing his luxurious cape as well. "Yeah, seriously now, we come here to enjoy an one of a kind stage performance, and you people decide to begin an uprising in my presence and ruin everyone's fun? SO not cool of you." Says the last part with a raised hand and finger while moving his head from side to side in a sassy manner.
"Aristidis." The Queen speaks with a smile while clasping both hands together, both relieved and happy.
"The Storyteller?!" Lishman recognizes with eyes wide open from shock as he looks at him, understanding immediately how screwed he is at this point.
Not wanting to deal with any of this at all, he makes a run for it past Issho and the pitch-black Storyteller, with the Admiral keeping on focusing at his current, downed targets, and with the Storyteller simply looking at the former running, and toward the stage, as the actors make room for him out of fear and confusion of the situation, before he stops, and with a quick tap at the very middle of the floor there by using the end of his staff, a trapdoor opens beneath him, with him falling as a result down through its entrance.
The man smiles to himself after doing so, believing this will give him enough time to escape from the capital.
The way down is quite long, but nothing the traitorous Noble's magic cannot help him with as he casts at the right moment a levitation spell, helping himself with lowering his falling speed till he comes to a complete halt just a few centimeters right above the stone floor of the tunnel he reached.
"Ehh?!" Lishman then yells in complete shock and disbelief upon noticing not far in front of him Aristidis once more, sitting at a table while enjoying a cup of tea, who also keeps close a very unique and wicked-looking meat-hook.
The Storyteller lowers his cup and looks at the old man with glee, as the latter tries to understand how the former even reached the place before he does. "Wrong side to be looking at right now."
The traitorous Noble gets confused for a second at that, before he gets alarmed and turns around, only for a gunshot to sound while in the middle of it, with his magic staff just as soon to be broken in half by a bullet striking it, causing him startled to drop the lower piece of the now broken staff he was holding down.
As he looks at the one who shot at him, he is surprised to see not too far from his location none other but Agnes, aiming her now smoking flintlock at the man. "You?"
The Captain of the Musketeers keeps on looking at him with a serious and determined face while aiming her now empty flintlock at him, as a quick flashback that moment shows during the morning back in the Academy at the time Aristidis was watching her learning the weapon that was given to her, and giving her the following advice. "If you do not plan to kill your desired target immediately, always remember to disarm them of their current weapon, so they do not feel as high and mighty when facing you. But that should not give you the illusion that there is not a spare somewhere in his person ready to be pulled out at any moment."
The flashback ends, with the scene going back to the point she now is, just before Agnes is seen dropping the flintlock to the side, and taking from behind her the object from before, which is now uncovered, and points it at him with both hands, showing to be a very well-known double-barreled shotgun, in Doom Eternal standards that is, with its characteristic engravings on each side, minus the meat-hook which is currently in Aristidis's possession.
Lishman gets somewhat intimidated by the never-to-be-seen-before weapon she points at him, both for its unique look and the fact it has two barrels instead of just one like the usual muskets he knows of have, and then looks back at Aristidis, who at the moment is stirring the tea in his cup with simple circling movements of the hand holding it as he watches the two with obvious, gleeful interest.
He doesn't like the situation at all, but as things are, only one option remains for him as he turns with his hands half raised toward Agnes. "Very well, I know when I'm beaten. I surrender to you, Captain of the-"
"I have no intention of arresting you." The Captain of the Musketeers interrupts him, and adjust the shotgun a bit higher with malicious intent. "I will end you."
"What?" The traitorous Noble exclaims at the unexpected to him declaration while lowering alarmed both hands in response.
"Dungletale... My home vanished without being guilty of any crime." She tells him, the frustration and hate in her face not leaving her for a single moment.
Lishman now understands what is this about. "I see. You are a survivor from that village."
"The ONLY survivor." Agnes corrects him with absolute seriousness. "And for that, I will take my revenge."
"Oh-ho boy, you are so dead." The mouthless Storyteller seemingly entertained tells Lishman, much to the latter's increasing pressure.
"Wait-Wait!" The traitorous Noble begins as he sweat drops, and with a hand toward her way. "You said you are looking for the captain of that time. The record from Dungletale you so need to find him, is kept underneath the Tristain's Academy Of Magic."
That instantly causes the Musketeer Captain's gasping surprise, not expecting the said information to be in there of all places all this time, with the Storyteller simply putting a hand on his chin out of interest in that.
Lishman grins crookedly that moment, while finding his chance to grab his spare wand from beneath his clothings with one hand, and proceeding in the meantime to quickly whisper a spell of fire against her.
He never reached the end of his incantation though, as a noise like a thunderstrike sounds, with his hand holding the wand, along with most of the arm is suddenly blown to bits and blood just as soon while he stays in place with wide open eyes of great shock, before he screams from pain as he holds with his only hand now the bloody stump that was once his arm.
Agnes was able to recover fast from her surprise as she is seen serious and focused once more, while reloading the recently fired shotgun with two more big bullets placed into the weapon's exposed breech, and locking the part back up, ready to fire again.
Another quick flashback occurs after that sequence, showing now the Storyteller once again at the Academy with her as he gives her another advice. "The target can always tell you something incredibly surprising to throw you off balance, so always remember at that very instant to realize it, and show him you are neither a simple-minded amateur, nor just another weakling. Expect absolutely everything."
The flashback ends, with the Musketeer Captain losing no time as she immediately after shoots off one of Lishman's legs into bits next, forcing him to lose balance and fall down upon the floor, while now the screaming man holds his new bloody stump out of pain and agony.
As she proceeds to reload the shotgun one more time, her expression as mercilessly serious as it can get, the amputated, traitorous Noble crawls while absolutely horrified as fast as he can using his remaining limbs to reach the seated Aristidis, who currently takes a quick sip from his cup, and grabs with his only hand one of the latter's legs.
"Storyteller, I beg of you, save me! I vow to accept any other punishment, and repent for my many wrongdoings! Please, oh-great and powerful!" Lishman greatly begs him, hoping to be his benevolent savior in his time of need.
The pitch-black Storyteller doesn't even look at him, his sight forward and his expression eerily kind. "You must be thinking of me as another lord and savior I know of. One of the many that is. I am sorry, but you reap what you sow when it comes to me."
The amputated man lets out a few broken, shocked utterings as he looks at him, in disbelief of being rejected in the end like this, before he is suddenly pulled back by the leg with force, unhanding the Storyteller in the process, with one of Agnes's hands being the reason as the former slides past her and at an adequate distance away, while he grunts from the pain of his horrible wounds.
As she looks at him with hateful eyes, one last quick flashback occurs, showing the same scenery and time like before, where Aristidis gives her his last advice. "And of course, always remember to be sure of your intentions. Never lie to yourself. Express yourself. Be honest with your feelings, so you may feel yourself lighter by the end of this."
The flashback ends, and the Captain of the Musketeers approaches and circles around the downed man, as he looks at her while scared of his life but too weak to make any effort in dragging himself away. "It hurts, doesn't it? The pain you are going through. That is nothing compared to the pain my people felt that day. What I felt!" She yells the last bit angrily, right before kicking him strongly in the face, resulting in him earning a broken and bloody nose, with him then reacting by putting his only hand upon it in pain, only to remove it from there soon after alarmed due to the other two great wounds which he wants and tries to cover, but is unsuccessful because of the obvious lack of hands.
Agnes then stops before him, and aims the shotgun at his head, with him looking at her hateful eyes as he now begins on whimpering weakly. "Go to hell knowing that weapons like this can be forged by commoners."
Having delayed enough, she pulls the trigger, with the shot resulting in not only Lishman's head, but most of his torso to be shredded to bloody bits in an instant, officially ending his life.
The Musketeer Captain was a bit surprised, because even though she tested the weapon during the morning just enough to know of its power, seeing such destruction being caused upon a human body by it was still an unexpected sight to her, before her more focused and serious composure returns soon after.
"A job well done." Aristidis says mildly pleased while approaching her with both hands behind his back, as she turns to him, and then his expression turns neutral, with signs of slight concern. "How are you feeling?"
Agnes looks down for a moment, and then once more at him. "Satisfied. I have given him what he deserved."
The pitch-black Storyteller shrugs. "As long as you are true to yourself."
He then shows her a somewhat more serious face. "Just remember, despite this part of your revenge being easy, there is no telling how the eventual next one will turn out to be. Complete revenge is an unsatisfactory dish, after all. It fills you once done. But at the same time gives you that empty, oddly unpleasant feeling inside. As if something with it was not as it should be. And I speak about it from experience. I have seen a lot of characters like you before, when it comes to situations like this one, and I wouldn't like for you to face that feeling when and if that time comes." Says the last part while narrowing a bit his eyes, showing that he indeed has seen such scenarios many times in the past, which is understandable knowing the many stories within his Tome.
"I... Will have it in mind." The Musketeer Captain responds while a bit unsure with that thought, before smiling at him. "Thank you for helping me as you did."
Aristidis with a kind expression puts a hand on her shoulder. "What are friends for?"
After a short pause, his face turns neutral while extending his other hand toward her in an expecting manner. "I will need you to return me the weapon now, though."
Agnes is taken aback by that, as she then troubled proceeds to take a step back while now literally hugging the shotgun. "C-Can't you let me keep it? This weapon can be a great asset to Tristain and her Majesty."
"You know very well that you need no such weapon to ensure peace, considering everything else you have been given thus far." The Storyteller reminds her while being obviously absolute about the deal they have made about this. "Now please."
They stay as they are for a moment longer, till the Musketeer Captain sighs defeated while placing the shotgun onto his expecting hand.
Aristidis's expression turns kind at that, and then from behind him takes the wicked hook from before, attaches it at the bottom of the shogun's front, before taking his open Tome also from behind, and inserting the weapon magically through the pages and closing the said Tome almost as soon. "Much appreciated. Now-"
He stops as he turns around with a fabulous flip of his luxurious cape. "Let us move out and inform her Majesty of our mission's result."
Once the two make their way out of the tunnel and straight into the theater again, they see how the Musketeers are taking the now tied traitors, and Reconquista Spy, with the extra help of the Oblivion Guards out of the building, as the civilians watch and actors watch the procedure.
Aristidis and Agnes then walk to the side, where they see Queen Henrietta along with a few of her Musketeers guarding her closely, Issho who is currently talking with her, and with even Julio being there, as they all stop what they were doing upon noticing the former two approaching them.
"Present here as well I see, Julio." The Storyteller acknowledges with a kind expression.
The blond priest smiles at him. "I was planning on giving you a hand just in case, but in the end your friend here was more than capable on his own." Says the last part while looking at the Admiral next to them.
Aristidis's face turns pleased. "That is Issho for you. Always the best when it comes to upholding the law."
"I simply did what any lawful individual should do. Nothing more, nothing less." Issho says seriously.
Henrietta smiles at him. "If there were more people in this world sharing your point of view, things would have been much better, I am sure of it. Still, allow me to offer my many thanks to you once more, for your efforts here today. Thank you, sir Issho." Says the last part while bowing before him in a polite and a highly respectful manner.
The Admiral smiles kindly at that, both appreciating the Queen's appreciation, and happy to meet more people who want to protect the peace as much as he does, or at least closely as much.
The Queen then looks at her Musketeer Captain. "Was the deed done?"
"It is done." Agnes tells her before continuing. "But I will need to report to you about another thing that has just arised."
"Before that-" The Storyteller begins while stepping between them, while turning to the Queen and with a hand on her shoulder making her walk with him away from the group. "There is something I need to say to her Majesty over there and privately for a moment. I am sure you understand- thank you very much for the understanding." Says while leaving everyone confused with the out of nowhere action.
The two walk at an empty space not far from the rest, and Aristidis's expression turns seductive as he leans close to her ear. "The time we shared you and I, was wonderful."
Henrietta's eyes widen, with her cheeks blushing softly at the mention.
"You might as well call yourself as the unofficial member of the harem from here on." He playfully adds, before his face turns once more fully seductive. "I will need to leave now, but remember that whenever you need my company, be sure of me being there to offer the moment you give me the call. Dear Henrietta and Queen of my passion."
His highly seductive words makes her face even redder and stuns her there, with him then unhanding her as he steps away, and beginning to walk away satisfied, with Agnes then running soon after quickly straight to the now stunned Queen and asking her concerned about what was all that about, and if she is alright, only for her to snap back to reality and quickly reassure her friend with a sweat drop that everything was alright and there was nothing to trouble herself with, while secretly really looking forward to hers and Aristidis's next, and private meetings.
And speaking of the Storyteller, he himself was looking mostly forward to tell his ladies about everything that occurred during his mission while away, with the exception of the little affair that is to stay as a secret, of course.
Maybe at another point that one.
~At The Filled With Blackness Location That Still Remains Unknown~
The scene cuts to the known duo, the black-cloaked and with the M-shaped hood Kremant, and the also black-cloaked Derflinger with the white and expressive mask, who are watching seated upon their couch everything that happened in today's episode.
Derf was, even in a sense, impressed. "He really did it with Tristain's Queen in the end like he wanted."
"And you saw what else he did there, or more specifically what he DIDN'T do, right?" Kremant questions as if it is obvious while turning his head at him, drawing his attention, before continuing with his explanation. "He didn't mention her dead lover, Wales, once. He had in his mind one or two things he wanted to ask about that, but he did not. For in his mind, he considered it a bad idea, believing that if he mentioned him once, his chances with her would drop, due to her psychology being affected by that reminder. Till she talks about Wales herself, he will treat this as a forgotten case, mostly out of respect toward her. Smart, is he not?"
"Ok..." The white-masked man trails off with a raised mask-eyebrow. "And how come and you explain this in such detail all of a sudden?"
"Oh, you know." The black-cloaked man begins, before giving a mischievous look toward the camera. "So no one thinks important details like this are not being considered."
{To Be Continued}