Fiona was more surprised that she hadn’t even noticed Barry come in–had he been one of the first arrivals, and just been quietly chilling? That was not cool, Kings were supposed to make as much racket as possible and make giant peacock presentations. This guy was more like the snake you had to watch out for creeping through the grass, looking to take a bite out of your backside.

  Or, more like a gator.

  She hated gators. They were the reason she’d avoided Florida at all costs, besides the oft-mentioned Florida Man stories. She pondered if Barry had been paying attention to her little speech. She saw the gritted teeth on Jake as he noticed, too, and the claws on his hands flexed.

  She walked quickly up to him, seeing a disaster in the making. Barry was enemy number one to half her guildmates, and her. She twisted Jake around with a spin off her arm and gave him a look of warning.

  “I see that look. Don’t.”

  “If he thinks he can just crash into my own house, he has another thing coming—”

  “And do what, Jake?” she gripped his arm tight enough he winced, even given his musculature and iron will. “You think that isn’t the reaction he’s waiting for?”

  “Most likely.” He said it in more of a snarl than words, but he untensed his body. “What’s his angle though?”

  “Well, I see his little entourage working this way. Three guesses who they’re here to ‘escort’ to his Royal Pain in the Ass.”

  Bonnie had seen the commotion and had flitted to her position on the floor, fluffy tail wagging anxiously. “I have a wand to dispel anything that twerp can pull off—”

  “No. Let’s wait. He’s expecting me to make some bold move or do something out of anger. Which, is what I would normally do,” Fiona concluded with a small amount of reflection. “If he really wanted to make a show, he would need every chrome-plated dum-dum in the city to take this place by force.”

  “Not saying you got a good point, Fi? But he pisses me off,” Bonnie uttered, her muzzle twitching. The knights from the castle approached them, then fanned out in a small arc

  “King Barrimeth wants to talk to you,” the knight with the shiniest, biggest helmet asked with little emotion.

  “Perfect timing. I was so eager to talk to him, considering our last conversation,” she added while glaring at the stairwell. “Don’t bother escorting me. I know the way up.” Bonnie also advanced forward, but one of the knights put out a gauntleted hand, to ward her away. Fiona gave him an excoriating glare. “My friend gets to come with me, for my protection.”

  “Uh, I thought my job was to protect other people from you,” Bonnie quipped.

  “Close enough,” she responded with a smirk. The knight frowned.

  “That’s not how this works,” dummy number one called out.

  “Yeah, it is. Unless you want to make a scene, in the adventurer’s guild hall, with hundreds of hostile witnesses against you, who do not share a lot of love for someone willing to, oh I dunno, mistreat the dashing heroine of the hour? You might want to think that through for a second,” Fiona told him in a cool tone.

  Dummy number one was sharper than the rest of the guys with oversized armaments, and waved Bonnie through, after a tense moment. He did ask her to leave her spell satchel behind.

  “I don’t need spell components to make Beardless have a bad time,” she growled as they ascended the stairs. “Fi, this is a dangerous move.”

  “Yeah. Little bit,” she responded, and wished she had her hammer. Whatever Barry had planned, it must be some kind of scheme. Schemers schemed and tried to get other saps to be stuck holding the bag, if things went wrong.

  “Fi, why is he approaching you? Like he didn’t have enough on you already?” Bonnie cautioned her.

  “Relax, I’ve got this Bonnie. Greg taught me better than that,” Fiona assured her. “Besides, what more can he do?” I mean, I already have a ticking clock of doom that gives out in less than a year. You can’t get worse than that.

  “Oh, I don’t think either of us wants to answer that question,” Bonnie sighed before they continued up the stairs. One more fancy knight in armor waved them through to another doorway—a private room, overlooking the main hall, dressed with bright red sashes and a small marble bust of a famous adventurer. She entered and felt her ears twitch at the off-putting presence of Barry—and a plus one. He was dressed in formal attire, wine glass in hand–and the person accompanying him was a schmoozy blonde that Fiona hadn’t seen before, with brown eyes and looking like she used too much makeup.

  Almost like a blonde owl, with her movements, and that tiny mouth of hers. She was practically pouring out of her dress, with creamy white skin and unblemished by scars or skin markings. Barry cleared his throat before anyone could speak, and motioned the guards away, who took the cue and descended the stairs. “Greetings…your majesty,” she offered with a polite bow. What Barry didn’t know was she was gritting her teeth so hard, that she’d have cracked her fillings by now, if she still had them.

  After another moment of posing, he spoke. “Fancy running into you, here. I heard your announcement. Quite intriguing, I thought you would have been stubborn enough to try to bash your head against the problem by killing more monsters and raiding the tombs of Fiefdala. You know, with your literal life on the line.”

  Oh, you son of a bitch. Bonnie gasped beside her, and Barry gave that leering smile. “Oh, oops. I guess you didn’t know that one. Spoilers.”

  “Fi—”

  “Later,” Fiona hissed, catching Bonnie by surprise. There was tangible fear etched in her eyes, one hand to her muzzle. She turned her attention back to Barry, focusing on only him, and she gave him a strained smile. “We’re graced with your presence. I didn’t think you were on the invite list.”

  “I wasn’t. Kings shouldn’t announce where they’re going in advance, and any door is open to me.” It was sound advice for this creep because she figured people would be sharpening knives if they knew in advance. “I wanted to congratulate you. I saw the building over on Perrier Way, it was quite impressive that you acquired, renovated, and are opening in a few days. Are you still emboldened that you think you can pull this off?"

  “I have friends who want to help me. Not a surprise, considering the…challenges imposed by acquiring enough treasure to fill a treasury,” Fiona stated, and restrained herself from giving this guy any kind of reaction. “So life’s a blast! I have my license, we’re bringing things up to code, it’s all going to work out.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  And just like that, that confident smirk of hers twitched, and she knew this other shoe probably had been waiting to drop for a while. “You’re not opening the store.” That stern, disapproving face sat in contrast to his normal amused, creepy smirk.

  “You can’t stop me.” She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Even Kings can’t just shut down a business, just because they don’t like a person.”

  “I don’t just not like you. I hate everything you stand for.” She swore she heard Bonnie’s claws tense at that comment, but she remained calm beside her while Barry went on a rant. “You walked in out of nowhere, and solved a problem my father couldn’t fix. And then, you went and smashed a dragon and his army to pieces; now I have to rule, because no one else wanted the seat.”

  "Yeah, your sister has been giving me dead air when I try to call her. Let me guess, you told her ‘Stay out of this’ right? Just like your dad’s been missing in action, and I keep getting the runaround?” She leaned in, her whole body tensed. “That’s assuming he’s able to take calls if you get my meaning.”

  “Oh, are you insinuating—” he started to say before she took a step back.

  “Nah. Friendly conversation. He must be taking a well-deserved break, after all. I must have been the best thing to happen to him in a while.” His whole face recoiled in reaction to this.

  "The best thing--You were the charmer of my father! You got Lucy twisted around your finger, you're an utter dear to my mother, and everyone loves you!" She sat through this brat's rant, his eyes filled with raving accusations. "Success follows you around, everywhere you go!"

  “Success is earned, it’s not given away for free. Let me tell you something, Barry. You haven’t known loss, until everything you love gets violently ripped away from you.” She looked him up and down and pointed accusingly at him. “You can't imagine the entirety of my loss I've endured to get here--"

  "Fiona," Bonnie warned her, and she noted a subtle dimming of her eyes as she shook her head. Better to be the bigger woman in the room, before she lost her grace.

  She gauged the King's reaction, who wore little more than a raised eyebrow. She'd shut his rant down pretty hard, but had she given too much away? "Forgive me, Your Grace. I'm very passionate about my rise, and the work it took to get there. We should all remember the efforts so many of us go through. Even kings have their journey to the seat."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Barry was wearing a press-lipped smile. She got to him, and it felt good. "Yes. Some effort must have been expended. So, here's the new assignment. You’ll be working with my current assistant, Miss Glados Hennaway,” he announced, and made a subtle wave to the woman with that hawk-like face. She looked more avian than Nick, who was an avian.

  “A pleasure–”

  “No, it isn’t.” Bonnie put a hand out to stop Fiona from greeting her, and she wisely took the hint. “Miss Hennaway was in my graduating class in magecraft, too. Except, her specialty is…less than desirable.”

  “Oh? Listen to the young little kit bark,” Glados chided with a bubbly laugh, and gave her a dismissive wave. “I assure you, my class has uses.”

  “Yeah. To a very few select clientele I’d never do business with if they were the last people on Cepalune,” Bonnie retorted. “Fiona, I think this demonstration is over, we should go.”

  “I concur,” Fiona said, and took Bonnie’s advice. “Listen, King Barry, I have a business to run, and you changing the rules is not cool. You also presume you have power over me, which you don’t,” she finished with a burst of mocking laughter. Bonnie was wearing that anxious smile right about now. “I’m a private citizen! You have no power over me, Goblin King! Oh, wait, sorry, wrong king. That guys on my schedule for next month.”

  “While that is technically true, I do have an offer, one that I’m willing to set aside my differences with you, Miss Swiftheart.” She laughed even more mockingly.

  “King Barry, I’d rather go get eaten by a dragon. I know where one lives, and I’m sure he’d be more than happy to help me, considering the beating I threw at him!” Fiona declared while Bonnie’s ears were still tense, like she was about to bolt. Which was silly, because Barry dismissed all his guards like an idiot. Or he was confident he didn’t need the protection. “There’s nothing you can throw at me, that can make me change my mind–”

  “I’ll consider the debt paid in full. I just need six months of your time.” She stopped laughing, and stared blankly at him. That smug smile is back on his face. “Oh, now you’re considering it?”

  “Oh, there's some considering going on," she replied calmly. I'm considering which continent your rich ass is gonna land on, by the time you stop falling out of orbit when I smack you with my hammer. She wished she could say that aloud. "You dump a bogus debt on me that no king has enforced in over two hundred years, then pretend you’re offering me an olive branch?"

  “I concur. Your father would never have sanctioned–had the audacity–to enforce what’s essentially state-sponsored extortion. There’s a reason that law hasn’t been enforced in a while,” Bonnie added with a curling of her lip. From a kitsune, Fiona knew that was a truly menacing sign that someone better back down.

  Barry sat there, still wearing the smug smile. “You’re right, that one took a little while to set up. Now, as for this proposal...I have an opportunity for a business deal for enduring trade relations. With one of our neighbors. The Kingdom of Vale.”

  Bonnie scoffed instantly. “That kingdom’s a cesspool. The last border skirmish was twenty years ago, too recent for many peoples' memories. They’ve been smart to not come crawling back. You would be ill-advised to work with them.”

  “Quite frankly, my father didn’t expand into lucrative trade with several kingdoms, for various reasons.” Barry didn’t elaborate. “I want you to lead the negotiations in good faith, Miss Swiftheart, and I will release the hold on you—”

  “Hang up a tick.” A thought came across her mind. Why is he changing the terms? Because he’s scared I might pull it off? Or was this the plan all along? He wants me to agree to this, thinking I have no choice. “Your mark is pretty dangerous to use, isn’t it?”

  “What?” he blinked in surprise.

  “Yeah. Enforcement of laws and all? Making a demand of someone who has a rather lethal alternative? What happens to you if I pay this debt off? If I dumped one point six million gold onto your damn throne tomorrow, what happens? You didn’t do this to anyone else. I checked.”

  A single beat of sweat hung from where his crown rested on his forehead. “Your debt is paid. That’s it, and the kingdom will thank you for honoring your generosity.”

  “But you know this tax is bogus. You could have enforced it by throwing armed men my way. Which, would have ended badly for you and them,” she laughed. Another bead of sweat joined the first. “Oh, Barry, tell me it doesn’t work the way I think it works. If I meet this obligation…it could end badly for you, couldn’t it?”

  “I—”

  “It's fine and all to speculate, Miss Swiftheart, but you’re going to say yes anyway,” Glados interjected, and slunk around Barry, one hand gently tracing his shoulder, then up his neck. Fiona fought the urge of nausea, seeing this blonde bunny draped around him. “You’ll do it because you care about this city, and fulfilling your obligations as one of its citizens.”

  Bitch, I might not be able to beat Barry to paste, but nobody said anything about whether you were off-limits. “Uh huh, sure there Ellen. Keep telling yourself that. Now, why pick me, out of all the other little patsies you could have dumped this on?”

  "You bested Douglas the red. Your immense strength is quite well known. People respond to strength, Fiona. That's the most important lesson Kings can ever learn. And commoners,” Glados purred, ignoring the fact that Fiona deliberately got her name wrong.

  “Fiona, don’t," Bonnie stated with a strained growl. “They don’t respect people’s way of life like they do here. I know people who left there. They were better for it, when they could escape.”

  “Don’t need to tell me twice,” Fiona concluded. “Not all strength is physical, Glados. That's a lesson you haven't learned yet. And to drive home the point? No, Your Majesty. Count me out."

  She truly caught him off guard, when he recoiled ever so slightly. "What do you mean, 'count me out'?"

  "Nein, nay, nix, nyet, would you like another version of 'no' for me to elaborate?" she asked with a smirk. "Whatever you’re going to have me agree to, would probably lead to moral bankruptcy on my part. I can’t be bought like that. Even given the challenges you’ve handed me, I always find a way.”

  Barry shook his head, mouth gaping as if still searching for words. “I-I am truly disappointed. Your tax debt is still due in full within the year. I suggest you attend to it, then,” he replied with a yawn.

  She’d had enough of that feigned polite attitude. “You don't run the tax office anymore, that decision is out of your hands, Barry, and that office still has to set a date for an audit. Have a good party, don’t call me again.” She turned to leave, and Bonnie was quick to join her.

  “Not even going to consider it?” Barry called out, sounding distinctly annoyed. "You're going to turn me down? Even though I'm giving you an out?"

  No. Something was off. She turned around, and saw the sneer on his lip, and the desperation in his eyes. First, the way he glanced at her, then at Glados. His voice tense had been significantly higher. She narrowed her eyes and gave him a look of consternation.

  “Nah. I think it’s gonna be more fun to find out what happens to you for trying to abuse dangerous magic when I meet your win condition," Fiona stated before she stomped down the flight of stairs. "Assuming I don't find a way to drop your stupid tax to zero, because I'm very good at finding a path to victory."

  “You’ll never pay it off, Swiftheart!” he countered. “It’s impossible.” She took a step forward, body edging toward him to the point of getting into his personal space.

  "Do me a favor, don't ever come to my shop, Barry. King or not, I will fling you into the lake head first, if you do."

  She turned to look over her shoulder, and smiled evilly. "By the way, if I do end up paying anything, I’ll pay it all in copper. Good luck lugging that around! Also, tell your dad he owes me and the Adventurer's guild a round of drinks, when he gets back,” she added as she gave him a polite farewell.

  "I'm not a messenger! Why do you think my father's ghosting you?" She turned around, seeing that slight smile-- a desperate smile, even. "He hasn't intervened in this. Why do you think that is?"

  "I'll ask him when he stops avoiding my calls. Good night, King Barrimeth." She was done listening to this farce of a King, and walked away.

  “You might regret this,” Glados called out in a singsong, mocking tone. Fiona also picked up a hushed whisper from Barry, seizing on panic. She knew who wore the pants in that relationship, that was for sure.

  “Pretty sure I won’t, future royal pain in my ass!” She called out–she couldn't insult Barry to his face, but his current escort was fair game. "Also, my parting advice? I'm not saving this kingdom again. You're on your own from the next hungry dragon or eldritch horror show. And if Doug shows up for revenge? I might buy his favor by giving him back all his stuff, and tell him who the real thief is!" She laughed.

  As soon as they were out of earshot, Bonnie pressed her against the wall, with Fiona protesting lightly. “What is wrong with you?!” she whispered, panic in her eyes. “What do you mean you’ve got a doom clock over your head? Barry did something with his mark, didn’t he?”

  “Oh, great,” she sighed. “Barry rigged this game from the start. If I don’t pay up in coin in a year, his mark kills me.”

  “You didn’t say anything about this!” she shrilled, whiskers on her muzzle bristling and her eyes wide in disbelief. “Why wouldn’t you say anything?!”

  “To avoid you going on a one-kitsune-army to burn the palace to cinders, or hex Barry into something unmentionable?” Fiona suggested. “Look, you already knew I—”

  “This is not the same! Wait, Greg was…” She looked down the stairwell, where the knights were waving away people from the premises. Bonnie’s teeth edged out. “You both knew and didn’t tell me?”

  “Bonnie, he’s not going to succeed,” she assured her. Bonnie pushed away, shaking her head in dismay.

  “Fi, this is the kind of thing you don’t keep from your friends. No matter what kind of reaction you might expect from me. Because I know, you are a good person, and what they’ve done is wrong.” Her muzzle trembled, and she wiped away a spot of moisture from her eyes. “Who else knows?”

  “Jake and a few of the guild members. It’s not like Barry was subtle about this.”

  “I’m going to burn this jackass, he’s right there,” she snarled, a spark of fire emanating from one hand. Fiona put her hand up to stop her.

  “We don’t know if his mark keeps working even after he…you know. Even I wouldn’t take that chance, and we don’t know if he’s done this to others. That’s why we can’t do anything. At least, on that front. Look, Bonnie, I’m sorry. It was an omission that I’m not proud of having used. I’m…not used to having people worry about me.”

  She was still right pissed with her. But, her hands weren’t trembling like before. “Fi, the more you say, the more I realize you’re an absolute wreck underneath that elven smile at times.”

  “Yeah. You and me, both,” she replied glumly. She wished she could just slide down the wall and sit for a while…but there were still appearances to keep up. “I’m not giving that creep any power over me, Bon-bon. And I won’t hide it when I’m in trouble anymore, okay?”

  “You’ve helped save my tail more than a few times, Fi. You are a good friend, when you let people in.” Bonnie’s expression softened, and waved her over. “That said, girl, I need to keep a closer eye on you. You’re a transmigrated elf with insane strength and people sharpening their knives for you, and you’ve been here less than a year.”

  She smiled faintly at that. “Yeah. I could do with less of that. Now, minus that really awkward reveal, we learned something. I think Barry is in serious trouble.”

  “From you? Yep, he’s a dead man,” Bonnie snarked.

  “No, not me. Why would he want to make a deal with Vale? Your reaction to that—and Glados—are troubling signs.”

  “Well, I think for what it’s worth, you made the right choice. Hennaway is not a nice person. Vale, even less so.”

  “How fitting that she’s with Barry." She pondered over that unusual exchange a moment ago. "Bonnie, let me ask you something. Why does Barry need this deal?"

  "You mean, why does he want to do business with that cesspool?"

  "No, why does he need this deal?" she insisted. Bonnie followed her cue, and let out a sound of ponderance. "The treasury is low. But it shouldn't be so low, even with the dispute with Douglas. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person he hosed. So, why does he need cash so bad?"

  "That...is a really good question, Fiona," Bonnie said before adjusting her dress. "Oh boy, you gonna do some sleuthing? That's not your class."

  "When it comes to money, it should be. I made couch coins multiply, every time I wanted take-out! C'mon Bonnie, let’s go have some fun and put on a show for Barry,” Fiona said with a smile. “Time to liven up this party, and show our audience of one that I’m not scared of him.”

  “Oh, boy. Whatcha need?”

  “Some flash and glamor.”

  Barry is such a party pooper...

  (Magius acquires the Merchant Class to make the sale...)

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