In one sense, their presence here was a good thing. The more witnesses he had to what he was about to do, the faster the story would spread—and, inevitably, the larger it would grow with embellishment after each telling. Lucas had no doubt that, by the time most people heard of this stunt, he would be a lunatic demon, ten times larger than he actually was, with hooved feet and curved horns growing out of his head. It also meant that the risk involved and his chance of failure grew with each new addition to the room. No matter his strengths or how many plans he had in place, if enough players worked against him—in fact, if they did little other than stand rooted in place with mouths agape in shock—there was a good chance that he would fail. Like most villains in society, he was counting on apathy and inaction from the populace.

“So, you’re the man that the princess was telling us about,” the king said, drawing Lucas out of his silent calculations. He and the Queen were both tall, thin, and lanky and clothed in green-and-brown outfits. Their wooden crowns were comprised of oaken bases and studded with flower-shaped jewels across the top. “She rarely mentions men, so you must color me surprised that she would so quickly bring one before me.”

“I can’t imagine a father likes hearing his daughter talk about strange men,” Nick commented underneath his breath.

Lucas wished that he could reach out and smack him right then and there. He knew that Bonnie would take care of it for him later on, but that wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying.

“Daughter? Oh, that’s an easy misunderstanding to make. She’s not our daughter. We’ve only just married and have yet to sire a child of our own. Rather, she’s the daughter of this town,” the king said in response to Nick’s inappropriate comment.

“It is a title I bear against my will,” the princess said sweetly. “But it is ruder to reject a compliment one does not feel she earned than to accept it silently and strive to meet its namesake.”

Lucas heard Bonnie’s exasperated sigh as the words left the princess’s mouth.

“Then I shall follow your example and try not to be bashful when accepting the rewards,” Lucas said. He stepped forward and gave the king a slight bow, gesturing with his hands for his companions to do the same.

“And rewards you shall have. Though my vault is not nearly as brimming as it once was before the Imperium stole our Alfar territories, it isn’t empty yet,” the king assured. He motioned to his guards, who walked forward with four small bags which were distributed to Lucas and the other three. “On behalf of Waldberg, please accept our thanks for protecting our people.”

Quest Complete: Defense of Waldberg.