As Fate Would Have It

"Why didn't Ector go with him?"

"He swore he would never leave Rain's grave behind. He said it would feel like he was abandoning her."

"That does sound like him indeed."

The hag leaned even closer while her eyes darted around the candle-lit room. "There's something else," she hissed. "Ector would not go through all this if he did not know Roil is up to something big. Really big. Close down The Great Ector's Faire? Never in a million years I thought that could ever happen. The Preux and Nefarious families have been at each other for centuries, but now perhaps the final end is beginning at last."

"The beginning of the end?"

The old hag studied the younger woman's face, then closed her eyes and sighed wearily.

"Yes, hopefully, the beginning of the end."

Outside, the night had been so still it allowed Peach to hear everything that was said between her mother and the old, wretched-looking woman. Her mother had told her they were related to her in some way, but just the sight of her made her sick. Peach knew exactly who Ector Preux was. He was the mean, old man who turned her away when she tried out for his stupid Renaissance Faire. She also knew who Roil Nefarious was, or at least heard about him. He was taught in government classes. "Elected Advisor to the King by the Royal Courts the past twenty-two terms," she recited to herself. She was an excellent student in school, especially in government. Why should her intelligence go to waste on the humdrum dreams her mother had planned for her as a performer? Even Ector could see she was no good, although she put none of her heart in her dismal tryout. It would not be hard at all to get to Roil Nefarious. He had guards posted everywhere and all she had to do is walk up to anyone of them and say, "I know where Roil Nefarious can find Ector Preux." Very few people knew Ector's real last name. Just his close family mainly.

Peach watched her mother and the old woman knitting together. She felt like they could probably care less where she was. Down three blocks was a busy restaurant with two guards posted out front. She started out walking very quickly, but as she got closer she slowed down, eventually almost stopping completely, yet she got there just the same.