VULPINE: Her Second Chance

The Prank To Begin All Pranks

- - - - 23

23. The Prank To Begin All Pranks

- - - - -

They were caught immediately.

The king's hiding place for his sweets was known to Claude for good reason, as it had been hidden by an amulet that very same witch had given to Daniel. The king had never told Claude where it was, but he followed the trail of his own magic to "Sugar Mountain" - the nickname Franki had given the stash - and it had turned out to be cached rather simply in a second kitchen pantry. The door to it all was drenched in magic, invisible as well as hidden behind a still life of assorted fruit. It smelled faintly of Claude, the lingering parchment and amber scent barely noticeable in the busy kitchen.

Witches only had a specific scent when they used their magic, and they otherwise smelled almost human, except for the prickly non-odour that was their magic. Thalia had learned that from her books, rather than observation, since, while she'd never once scented Franki, Mirella and Claude always smelled of honey, amber and parchment, and of course magic. That meant that their powers were in use at all times. Mirella was understandably unable to not, but Thalia did wonder what illusions Claude was maintaining. She would never ask, but she did tend to ponder it whenever they had a long silence together.

Like the one they were having while Claude carefully felt around the painting for his amulet. Thalia - the lookout - had heard Helena coming, as well as someone else with heavy footsteps. She hadn't worried, having expected the other person with her sister to be Thaddeus, as she knew the werecat didn't like to be around the king, having not warmed up to him just yet.

Being unconcerned, Thalia didn't alert Claude, deciding to invite the others to join in on the fun when they arrived in the kitchen. The plan, after all, was to "gift" the candy to Franki and let them be hoisted from their own petard. And more people giving candy was far less suspicious. Or so they thought.

Claude had just got the pantry door open when Thalia discovered she was very wrong. Helena came in, yes, but she was followed by the king whose footsteps were quite similar to his beta's.

Thalia tried to widen her eyes in innocence, but Claude immediately disappeared, pressing the amulet into her palm with a quick mental salute: -Well, damn. Godspeed, Your Majesty!-. His scholarly scent then disappeared as well, faster than most other humanoids could run. She resolved to do more reading on witches.

Really, Thalia couldn't even be mad at the abandonment. Daniel would definitely be softer on his mate than his employee, and also she felt that Claude's willingness to throw her under the bus spoke to their budding friendship. She turned to face the music, but - as Claude had definitely suspected would be the case - there wasn't anything to hear.

"My queen, I was just about to come find you!" Rather than angry, irritated, or otherwise irked, Daniel was of course happy to see his match. Thalia had tried to get used to that during her time here. "We have an issue, nothing major, but I can definitely wait until you find something you'd like to take from here."

He opened the door wider for Thalia's perusal, before she could let him know that they weren't going to eat anything there. Surprising most people, Thalia was more a fan of savoury than sweet foods, what with the constant sweet-tart scent she was surrounded by.

On the other hand, apparently Danny had a sweet tooth. A huge one. Thalia almost felt ill at the sight of so much sugar and gelatin in one space.

"Nope, I hate all of that." He'd said she should say what she wanted and didn't want, after all. Daniel chuckled, unperturbed.

"That's totally fine, that means I don't have to share my monthly stash."

Monthly?! Thalia was truly so shocked that she forgot to speak aloud. Helena was quick to speak for her, the lush.

"Except for the chocolate. You have to share that."

The king raised a brow at the werecat, then turned it on his wife. Thalia shrugged noncommittally, but then verbally agreed, explaining: "It's a female thing to like chocolate, I think. I don't like sweets At All and I still feel like I have to have it every once in a while. Helena is straight up allergic, and she loves the stuff."

Helena nodded, nonchalant about her affliction. "I just eat it slowly, so the anaphylaxis doesn't get me. Metabolism takes care of the rest."

Thalia handed the amulet - which was really more of a medallion - to her mate, correctly assuming he'd know how to reactivate the illusion on the door. "What's going on, though? You said we have a minor problem to resolve."

"Kind of a good problem, though a troublesome one, still. This year, we have vendors coming from the Western Union as well as some from the Sillimanite Desert States. That, in addition to the few that usually come from the Coventry." That meant that they would have members of almost every nation excepting the 'bears this season. Thalia almost asked if Daniel's friend was coming to round it out, but then she really processed the king's words.

Shit. Contrary to the fairytales, witches and cats - at least werecats - did not usually get along. At the very least, 'cats tolerated contact with healers and nursemaids who used magic, but they tended to butt heads with utile or antagonistically powered witches like the ones in the king's pack. "We can put the medical booths in as a buffer between the Sillimanites and the Coventry, with the East Opal Coventry nearer, since they already share borders with the States in some areas."

"Hmm," Helena said while nodding, having learned a bit alongside Thalia, when she felt like it. Having been raised with 'foxes, she was of the same neutral mindset towards witches. "I thought it might be something like that. The bigger problem, at least to Theo and Sassy, is that we have so many damn people coming that there's no room for the carnival rides."

-Who told them we might not have any room?- Thalia asked Helena while trying to think of a solution. -They don't really need to know that unless it's certain.-

-This idiot.- Helena flicked her eyes over to the king and crossed her arms. -He has no idea how to deal with kids.-

Thalia pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. -Hels, he's a king, he probably doesn't have much time to spend with them.-

"I think I remember you saying that the clearing for the run is pretty accessible from the fairgrounds. Since we won't be using the area until the pack gathering beforehand, why don't we use that space? It'll mean that the carnival will have to set up early as well as break down sooner than usual, but..."

She trailed off. She'd hate to change things around when she was already on thin ice with almost the entire nation's alphas. Daniel was silent, thinking. Thalia glanced towards the still open pantry, missing Helena's frown on purpose.

The werecat had so far been able to keep her baseless dislike of the king to herself in front of strangers as well as during official proceedings, but that meant she was even more prickly at home. Thalia knew she'd eventually settle, though, since the problem did not lie with Daniel. Her sister shared Thalia's fear of mating bonds, but in a more extreme way. Thalia knew she'd eventually have to come completely clean with her family regarding Scott Kane and everything he'd put her through.

That could wait until the bond with the king was settled. For now, Thalia spoke to the king again so Helena wouldn't.

"If you don't find that solution to be amenable, I can collaborate further on the matter with Madame Marie." Madame North Sky had been the official planner for events led by the queen until Holland took over a few years prior. The now retiring she-wolf had been happily complaining about having nothing to do but to rest and relax, and so Thalia tried to keep consultations to a minimum.

Daniel looked up at her and smiled. "No, I'm sorry, I was just taken aback by the quickness of thought. I believe if you asked the Queen Mother what her ideas were, they would resonate well with yours." -Did you know that you get a little more loquacious when you're upset?- The king asked unprompted, beyond knocking at this point. "There's actually a set of stone steps that I think would suffice, though I'm worried the trip might be long for children to walk."

Thalia hid her blush behind a hand, feigning deeper thoughts than she was thinking. The king was always doing this, pointing out her feelings to her as he saw them and then continuing to speak as though he hadn't said anything of anxiety-inducing note. It was as though he was testing her ability to parallel think, or something.

-I'm not upset, just... Uncomfy.- Thalia ignored the king's skeptical emotions, since they were mostly jocular. The solution to "a long walk for kids" was a great deal easier to focus on than Daniel's odd flirting tactics.

"We can make the path special for the kids by decorating or even having little events, as well as set up temporary seating areas along the way. If we pay our cards right, I think they might even like the seclusion of it all even more."

She had plans already for a way for Claude to repent for his absence. Of course, Thalia wouldn't actually be punishing him, since his deep and abiding love for most forms of design was rivaled only by his love for books. Also...

"I don't like candy, by the way. Franki asked us to get some." After all, Thalia still wanted to do the prank a little bit. She stayed long enough to admire the way Daniel's lips pouted when he began to frown, then she quickly took her leave.

- - -