Newly Broke Heroine! [Book One Complete, Cozy Fantasy Adventure]

Okay Wingding. I need to figure out Santino. Actually, Lockheed, Senior, too. I can't seem to get anything out of them.

Fiona had sat through a few minutes of introductions while everyone gathered at the dinner table. She'd seen strip malls shorter than this unfathomably long table! Each cup, utensil, plate, and bowl was meticulously placed to be nearly identical to those at each seat.

Greg mentioned that his uncle and aunt stayed here, presumably so that the senior Lockheed could better manage them. Or, maybe they just liked living in an oversized estate.

Thanatos quickly introduced a trio of new arrivals, coming in from the west end of the estate with a polite wave. "I'd like to introduce my brother, Thein Lockheed, and his lovely wife, Daphne, and their daughter, Merideth." He introduced the thinner, younger man who lacked the regal beard but not the charisma of Thanatos, wearing a pleasing smile. The wife was a tiny bird of a woman, with dark hair and an infectious enthusiasm that left even Fiona anxious. Their daughter, wearing her hair in a bob, was uninterested in being brought out to a social show and tell, giving a small hand wave before playing on her relay.

"The hero of Fiefdala. Enchanted," Thein greeted her, including a firm handshake that left even Doug wincing. And, a very cozy hug with Fiona, with a kiss on the cheek.

She heard Doug grinding his teeth nearby audibly. This was already off to a terrible start. "Uh, we don't–I mean…" she trailed off. By the gods, I swear it's a scene out of The Godfather! Wingding, can you confirm that I didn't die, but just got comatose by the giant Eldritch terror lizard and am living out a fantasy in some hospital bed somewhere?

[Nope. This is real.]

Yep. If I were comatose, you'd think I'd pick out a better fantasy to pass the time! Like in a romance novel, in the clutches of a sarcastic dragon, who secretly has a heart of gold.

[You might be in a coma. Ahem.] Her mark flapped and pointed animatedly at Doug for emphasis.

Point taken, young one. Fiona wore a tight-lipped smile that Doug raised a brow at. She subtly tapped her wrist as if she were pointing at a wristwatch. He took the hint and shrugged.

Thein smiled. "Apologies. The tradition comes from the old country, Faredala." Fiona let out a sigh of relief as she was introduced to his wife, who practically bubbled with joy as they were introduced. For a tiny, fragile bird of a woman, she had some impressive hug strength.

"Sup, cuz," Merideth said with a wave to Eveline. "You get the new patch for the relay?"

"Oh, my gods, no. I ran out of runic info transfer for the month," she replied sourly. "Dad, can you up the clan plan for the datapads?"

"No," Thanatos shot down instantly.

Fiona signed internally. Teenagers were already brain-rotting on relays here on Cepalune, just like people had on Earth. The cycle of destruction of this planet was almost guaranteed at this rate.

After a few more minutes, dinner was brought out, with signature braised chicken, soft-baked bread, and an assortment of freshly cooked vegetables. Thanatos wasted no time going in to make this all about him.

"So, Gregory. I heard about your shop yesterday. Quite unfortunate, having it make the evening paper in such an off-putting way," Thanatos said, sipping from his glass. "I thought you had better security than that."

That dress-down felt familiar to Fiona. She wondered when the accusations would start, given who was present in the room. She was tempted to be the first to fire one off.

Bonnie spoke up first, wearing a neutral face. "None of them were in the system for the denial list. All a clean bill from a legal standpoint. We're still digging into it. Rest assured, we spotted them thanks to a helpful customer, and discreetly vacated the building before they could do worse things."

"Yet, you were caught off guard, and your business suffered damage and a temporary closure," Thanatos said, as if he'd preplanned this response. "And you come to me, presumably because you think I had a hand in it?"

"Did you?" Greg's words were tinged with acid. "You've been trying to get me back since we–"

"Oh, cool it, you two," Remi interjected. "No business or accusations at the table. I won't tolerate it. And you, Buster, have that look about you that suggests you know something!" She jabbed a finger at her husband.

He shrugged softly in response. "I wouldn't sabotage my son's shop; that would be cruel. I am delighted he has the business acumen required for the task, given the performance of the past few months. Especially given his partners."

What? Oh, you better not be insulting my friends. Fiona locked her gaze on Thanatos, who enjoyed setting the tempo. The dinner and the gathering seemed to be well planned.

Maybe too well planned.

"You are aware of the machinations that led to this circumstance, right?" Fiona laughed softly as she attempted to break this man's carefully choreographed social dance. "It was all over the news, the actions of our former regent king! Even worse, he was consorting with a possible spy from Aegortin! Shocking, amirite?"

She would never pass on an opportunity to throw shade at that jerk. Hopefully, he stayed in house arrest long enough for her, Rikkard, and the saner people of Fiefdala to fix the money problem.

Bonnie wore an anxious smile, knowing what she was doing, and tried to cut her off. "Fi, I'm pretty sure even Barry was duped–"

"Oh, oh, it gets better! Interested parties in Vale decided that two kingdoms can't have normalized relations, so they decided to keep targeting me, my friends, and my shop with a vengeance. Too bad they had no idea who they were dealing with!" Fiona then swerved her attention to the otter Folk sitting calmly at the table, and hadn't said much since he arrived. "Lucky for me, all the adversaries of Fiefdala are busy trying to con each other, rather than working together."

"I know where this is going," Robert said after a few seconds, brushing his whiskers gently. "I am curious, Miss Swiftheart. Who do you think attacked your shop? Are you sure it wasn't jealous merchants?"

"Dude, if you haven't heard–"

Doug took the moment to clear his throat and shoot an impolite glare at her before answering the query. "We are under the impression that it was someone associated with Vale. An independent operator who lost a lot of money due to Miss Swiftheart's actions. Sore losers, I would surmise." Doug gave a crap eating grin to the otter, who remained expressionless. "Someone who, for instance, might have lost a substantial amount of money or business opportunities."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Which, to Fiona, meant either Karlin--at a stretch--or Santino. But she also recalled Thanatos in their previous discussion. Wasn't the Santio family split diverging paths on the means and methods on how they did business?

"Is there a question there?" Robert asked, raising a brow at the implied accusation.

Doug shook his head. "No. Merely conjecture. I've been to Vale and have an understanding of its people. And the people who try to keep their scale on the thumb, so to speak." He twirled his wine in his glass and gave it a sip after a dramatic pause. "Mister Santino…I am curious…how is business of late?"

"It's well. It's even better now, now that we're expanding. Though some ventures didn't pay off as much as I'd like, in the recent past." He cast a knowing glance in Fiona's direction. "You know my estranged son had a bit of a...disposition towards the Lockheeds. Hasn't really let things go of the past, even though the rest of the family has. It's unfortunate."

That sounded like, 'my bad, my son tried to torch your shop.' It's a slight apology, but not enough. She decided to keep playing. "You know...one of my contacts in the town guard said that the barrels recovered from the attempted arson on my property were pretty specialized for transport. It turns out, only a few companies ship items like that." She smiled politely. "Wanna know which companies ship those barrels on a routine basis?"

Robert shrugged, fingers steepled together as he leaned in. "Yes. Mine. and Lockheed's. There's also another company out there that ships them, Maricent Logistics. They're pretty new," Robert said, wearing a calm face. "Don't think I don't know how this looks. In the past, there were some...disagreements between our families."

Robert then glanced at Thanatos, who gave an almost imperceptive shrug. "But we've set aside old differences. We're in the process of creating a joint venture."

"Right, right. Business ebbs and flows, right?" Fiona laughed. Wait. Pierre didn't mention Maricent, though. Who's that? She would have to check them out later.

"Was that a joke on riverfolk? You are indeed a weaver of puns, hah." Robert gave a soft laugh and glanced at his associates. "At any rate, if my son was involved in any prior... disagreements? Then rest assured, I do not support him on this, and he's on his own. I cut ties with him ages ago. Fortunately, my other son took up a novelty enterprise of premium imports."

"What does he import? Glittery things, alchemical products, stamping equipment?"

"Coffee, and other goods from Antika in the south, past Vale. He's done well," Robert said proudly. "Let me clear the air for you, Miss Swiftheart. I don't want your business to suffer. On the contrary, having a business like yours as a crown jewel of mid and high-grade wares that display Fiefdala's talents is a good thing."

Flatterer. Still not sold on if you aren't doing something on the side. Thought, Wingding's weight of hearts wasn't really picking anything up on either him or Thanatos. Wingding, what are your thoughts on these guys?

[Hard to tell. The weight of soul isn't binary. But misses his errant son. Heart sunk, on that.]

Robert then rose, wiping his paws on a napkin. "Thanatos, I do apologize, but I can sense my presence here may be creating unintended tension. Plus, I am overdue to meet the missus at home; we have a stage event to go to this evening."

"Leaving? Now?" Thanatos acted surprised. Fiona wondered if this was all theater.

"Yes, indeed. Can we reconvene in the morning at your office to conclude our discussion?"

"Of course." After a few farewells and donning of coats, Santino departed down the hallway and out the door.

"Well, that was abrupt," Bonnie muttered. She was, however, likely relieved that Fiona hadn't taken a more dramatic approach. "Anyway, I think we had a few things to ask, Mister Lockheed–"

"Yes, the engagement with my son. I did wonder when this topic was going to come up," Thanatos answered.

Fiona was shocked, but not for the reason she thought she would be. Bonnie looked like a fox caught in the henhouse, with Gregory as the tasty prize. But she wouldn't be outmaneuvered like that. "Now, where did you hear that?" she said with a sly smirk, flashing out her hand to show a lack of rings.

"A little bird told me."

Greg was not amused, the way his brow furrowed and his eyes darkened. "Father, I think it's a bit presumptuous for you to assume you have any right to know what goes on in my life. Or who is in my life, for that matter."

"You're right, it is presumptuous. I assumed it would be the fair maiden with the rosy hair," he yawned. "After all, powerful business partners have more than one strength."

Fiona laughed. She didn't mean to laugh so hard it hurt her lungs, but it came out as a table-thumping laugh. It instantly brought the conversation to a standstill.

"Hah! Greg?! Listen, Thanatos, it's said you should never make business personal. Greg and I are friends! I think you've misread the signs!" She found herself immensely parched, and that glass of wine she used to buy herself a few seconds to recover didn't help at all.

"Ahem." Doug coughed to get her attention, and her anxious smile spread further. She realized how disengenuous she sounded when she was already in the middle of a thing with Doug. "Besides, I think Greg is…shall we say, enchanted with someone already."

"Indeed." Bonnie's smile was so edged, it might cut someone looking at her too closely. "Besides, if memory serves…you and Gregory haven't talked much. And we came here with a few questions."

"Oh?" Thanatos leaned in attentively. "And what was the nature of this query? Perhaps you wanted permission to be betrothed to my son?"

Dude, you're either confident we aren't about to toss you out of your own house, or you're confident in your own personal safety. Fiona wanted to give him a piece of her mind, but then Remi interjected.

"Thanatos. Stop toying with them. If you're going to play your games of manipulation, you won't do it while I'm around," she threatened tone. "You agreed you would let Greg have a choice in his future. A promise you broke once already."

"Yes, dad, it makes you kind of a dick," Eveline interjected, having stayed silent until now. It didn't help that her cousin chose that moment to burst out laughing.

Holy hells, this family might be more dysfunctional than my family. That was one conclusion Fiona felt a little ashamed to reach.

But apparently, nothing could shame the senior Lockheed. "What can I say? Circumstances change." He finished his wine and nodded to Fiona. "I have a proposition."

"Nah. I don't want to hear what you have to say," Fiona stood up from the table, giving him a dose of the glare of doom. "The last time you made an offer, it was one I walked away from, gladly. Guys, I think we're done here."

Yes, we are," Greg said, and his fingers were clenched so tightly into the table that he might have left indents in the wood. "Sorry, Mum, Uncle, Evee. I thought I could look past prior differences. I was mistaken."

Doug looked relieved that Fiona wasn't keen on playing this game, and grabbed her jacket for her. "You know the worst part, Mister Lockheed? You have phenomenal taste in art. But your interest in controlling your family is toxic," the kobold said with a light grind to his words.

"Well said, Doug," Bonnie added, before leaning in, eyes narrowed at the family patriarch. "And I don't need your permission to be betrothed to your son. Someone who has demonstrated his integrity regularly. He must get that from his mother."

Remi took that as her sign to stop death glaring at her husband and gave Bonnie a loving hug. "Oh, will I have grand kits sometime soon?!"

"Let's not be too hast–" Greg started to say. Fiona gave him an elven glare of doom, ears tensed.

Don't even think of finishing that sentence.

Greg got the message loud and clear. "Yes, it might be a while, mother. We'll be in touch, alright?"

"Of course, dear. Thanatos, you and I are going to have words after this," his wife threatened.

Greg's father shrugged. "I just thought people might find it interesting to learn what Karlin is up to."

Doug's ear crests perked up at this. Bonnie's sharp ears also attenuated. "You wouldn't dangle that information for free. What'll it cost us?" the kobold asked.

"Oh, you? Nothing. I just need to borrow Miss Swiftheart and Miss Revere for a small task," Thanatos said with a smug look on his face. "Actually, this would require their efforts anyway, to fully capitalize on the opportunity."

"Thanatos," Remi growled, "Help your son out of the goodness of your heart. Or I'll make you sleep with the fishes."

Her husband glanced at her skeptically. "That felt like a very poor jab at our house staff, Remi." Fiona figured she was not, in fact, referring to the assistants who all looked like shark people, and his wife loomed menacingly.

Fiona secretly hoped he was too stubborn to realize the danger he was in. Unfortunately for her, he did, with what he said next.