Julian had a problem.

He couldn't stop thinking of his interaction with the bridge troll long after she’d left, and he had work to do. He wanted to blame the fact that Gerda was Madame Potts… but he’d already had this same problem multiple times before that discovery. She just got under his skin. The way she was always one step ahead kept him on his toes, but more so the way she came at things. How she made him overthink everything and managed to get the better of him and claim the last word exhilarated and amused.

If only she could be here with him now, he'd want to hear her thoughts on the interrogation.

“This isn’t going to hold me for long.” Guild Mistress Alice indicated the prison around her. “So you might as well ask your questions now. I’ll even answer them.”

“Why?” Julian dragged his mind back to the matter at hand. Namely, questioning the celestial who’d been making a mess of Valaria. Their Royal Highness was lounging in a room behind the enchanted wall to the right, watching everything with magic. Witch Agatha had joined the fox, as had Master Thomas of Servalt and the recently arrived Wizard Lorthar.

The Wizard of Hemlock Hill had been summoned as soon as Alice was in custody, since he had the highest level truth detecting spells on the continent. Julian wondered if anyone had yet told the wizard that Madame Potts was Gerda.

Wait, he needed to focus. Alice was sitting on a wooden chair, a table between them. Her manacled wrists were resting on the table and she would intermittently cast a look at the magical wall as if she knew exactly what it was.

“Because despite this minor setback, I’ve finally gotten my answers. So I'm feeling generous.” She smiled at him, and her bright blue eyes caught the light of the magical glowing orbs that illuminated the room. His chest tightened. The urge to do anything to make her keep smiling was there, but he could ignore it. The manacles lowered her Charisma down to 15, so she must also have a passive persuasive perk.

He felt disgusting. “I’m not sure you understand what’s going to happen next.”

“Of course I do.” She practically rolled her eyes. “I’m going to answer all of your questions, and depending on how long it takes me to escape, I’ll just be answering those same questions again and again in front of the other Continental Council Members. This isn't the first time I’ve been captured you know?”

“But it is the first time Guild Mistress Alice has been captured.” Julian pointed out.

“True,” She said. “So, what did you want to know?”

He thought for a second. “... why don’t we start by confirming what I already assumed; that you are the Champion of Fate, and you are in charge of keeping everything according to Fate’s plan?”

“As you say.” She leaned on her elbow, placing a delicate cheek onto the palm of one hand. The manacle looked uncomfortable and it would be better for everyone if he took it off. Julian recognised the need to let her go was as false as her smile.

It was nothing like the gripping feeling he’d had earlier, when he'd grabbed Gerda’s hands and freed her. The sight of the bridge troll teasing him was night and day to the sickening influence of Alice’s ability.

“Are the Blackfog going to continue targeting members of this list while you are imprisoned?” Julian summoned the paper from his inventory and placed it on the table between them.

Alice scanned the paper. “No.”

He couldn’t see into the observation room to check with Wizard Lorthar on the lie, but he would go forward on his own instinct. Julian had a few other questions he was going to ask, but curiosity led him down a different line of questioning.

He tapped the list. “Let’s say that Fate is going in the wrong direction. And everyone on this list gets a second chance to go on with their life–”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“That cannot happen.” She interrupted him.

“Why?”

Alice practically rolled her eyes. “Because.”

Julian waited for her to continue.

“Because,” She repeated, emphasising her words. “Fate weaves the future based on the choices of the champions of each god - making sure that they don't interfere with each other's storylines. Each champion has scenarios specifically catered to keep the world on track, and right now our present isn't following any Fate."

“So what?” Julian asked, finding himself agreeing with Gerda when she’d asked the same question of the celestial. “Why can’t we make our own choices and live our own lives? Isn’t that why we have Fate and Luck.”

Alice answered vehemently. “No. Luck’s the reason we have multiple paths. She’s the one who gives people choice–”

“And Madame Potts made a choice.” He cut her off. “Why is that any different?”

Alice thumped her fists on the table, her manacles clanking. “Madame Potts isn’t even supposed to be here! She’s not a part of any timeline. I don’t even think she was supposed to be a bridge troll. Her interference is a burden on the system itself!”

“But she is.” Julian said, even more impressed with Gerda knowing how much the world was against her and yet she still found her own place in it. “Whether by Fate or Luck or any other god you haven’t suspected.”

Alice’s face flashed with something dark. “She won’t be for long. Now that I know who she is, I can deal with this farce and get everything back on track before the next World Scenario. Just getting rid of the snag in the weave it might still save us.”

Julian ignored the gut wrenching feeling in his stomach that hit him when she outright threatened Gerda, hiding it behind his already showing look of displeasure.

“What happens if you don’t ‘fix’ everything by the next World Scenario?” He assumed that was similar to a world quest. “When is the next World Scenario?”

“When the first leaf falls in Autumn.” Alice ground out, “When Fate rewrites a new storyline or she doesn’t.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” Alice looked at him with equal parts frustration and pity. “That the gods might decide our realm isn’t working properly and they should start over. Wouldn't you undo it all and start again if your pattern failed?”

They fell into silence as he stared at the celestial. At that time, the door opened behind him.

"You're early." Julian remarked.

Their Royal Highness swept in, looking like a tall red haired queen. A black mermaid dress with a slit to the knee hugged their frame, and a black crown that Julian had never seen before today rested on their hair.

Alice smiled up at the fox. “Afternoon, Rowen. Have you come to kill me so soon?”

Their Royal Highness smiled a vicious fox grin, showing too many sharp teeth. “Guild Mistress Alice. I thought I would fix your misguided thoughts before our Duke Julian started falling prey to your oh-so-incorrect reasoning.”

Their Royal Highness laid a hand on Julian’s shoulder and met his eyes. “Nothing is going to happen if I continue to live.”

“You don’t know that.” Alice angrily came to her feet, her chin set.

“Unlike your goddess, who only speaks in rhymes and riddles, my Patron is happy to convene with his chosen - when Warren bothers to ask.” The last was said in an aggrieved aside.

The ruler lifted their hands and a black orb appeared, hovering over their open palm. The voice that travelled through the magical artefact made Julian’s teeth hurt from the ambient power radiating through His quiet words.

“We have known the traveller and watched her ways.” The message crawled like molasses through Julian’s spine, building pressure on every part of his body and mind. Comfort wrapped around his spirit, even as a chill crept along his flesh. “The path ahead is another's domain, but the weave is being woven as we walk and I will not claim the realm to Shadow.”

The darkness in the orb waned, and blew away as if the wind had picked up cigar smoke on the breeze until it was clear and translucent.

The fox stared down at the celestial. “So you have no more need to kill me, or anyone else on that list.”