Black_Paladyn
patreon
Last of The Fae Chapter 110: Forcing My Hand
🕑 Added 2025-02-01 16:04:24 +0000 UTCWalking into the Room of Requirement Daphne frowned as she glanced around at the chaotic environment, "Oh Darling what caught your fancy this time."
Moving deeper into the spatially manipulated space Daphne walked past boiling beakers and vats, formation and rituals that pulsed with mana, and massive chalkboards extending so far up that Daphne could barely see the tops of them.
Taking a glance at the board's contents Daphne frowned as she cherry-picked some bits of information from the mass of convoluted writing, "Polyjuice potion...Partial Soul Removal... Dementor's kiss?"
With each iteration, Daphne became more and more concerned, 'Oh I knew it was only a matter of time.'
Moving with urgency Daphne eventually made her way to the very back of the seemingly never-ending workshop where her beloved was currently standing on a massive stone platform constructed around an equally massive cauldron large enough to be a pool.
"Thane Fae, what in Merlin's good graces are you doing?!" Daphne shouted, projecting her voice over the constant bubbling of the gargantuan cauldron which glowed with a neon-green line and silver steam pouring over the sides.
Thane jumped at Daphne's voice whirling around to stare at her with wide surprised eyes, "D-Daphne...you're back!"
"Why do you sound surprised?" Daphne asked with a narrowed gaze as she cocked her hip to the side.
"Are the holidays over already?" Thane asked scratching the back of his head.
Daphne sighed, "Yes they are...please tell me you didn't spend the entirety of the break cooped up in this place."
Thane cleared his throat, "Not the entire time just...a vast majority."
Daphne was silent for a long moment as she just stared at Thane who could only smile back at her apologetically. Eventually, she exhaled and moved to join him on the platform, "What are you making?"
Thane grinned, "Oh nothing much, just a potion that completely strips the soul of its horizon leaving it in a vulnerable but malleable state."
Daphne stopped beside Thane before looking into the massive cauldron of simmering neon green liquid, "First of all never say that aloud to anyone else you sound like a villain, second of all why did you make enough to poison a small city?"
"It does sound bad when I say it out loud," Thane admitted, "But I assure you I only intend to use it for self-medication."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Daphne asked with a raised eyebrow staring at Thane disapprovingly, "I'm even more concerned now! And you still haven't answered why you need such a large amount?"
"Ah yes, well the recipe I formulated is highly inefficient," Thane explained, "And by inefficient I mean I needed almost a hundred pounds of fluxweed, twice that in mandrake leaves, several kg of bicorn horns. All of which I've been brewing down into a concentrate for the last...some odd days."
"And what are you trying to achieve with this potion of yours?" Daphne asked exacerbated.
"Well to explain why you're going to need some background," Thane warned before launching into a lengthy explanation that saw Daphne's eyes grow wider and wider with each word.
---
"And that's why I need the potion," Thane ended his explanation with Daphne staring at him in sheer disbelief.
"H-how...how have you never mentioned this before now?!" Daphne screamed as she stared at the loveable idiot smiling at her.
"I...don't have a good reason as to why," Thane admitted and glanced away.
Daphne pinched her brow and squeezed her eyes shut, "Are there any more vital, reality-shaking secrets you would like to tell me?"
"Not at the moment," Thane replied honestly, "But enough about me, is there anything you would like to tell me?"
Daphne couldn't help but sigh at the hopeful tone in Thane's voice knowing exactly what he was looking forward to, "My parents have made a decision regarding our engagement..."
Thane frowned hearing the hesitancy in Daphne's voice, "Do they not approve? Are they demanding a larger dowry?"
Daphne shook her head, "No, the only way to get their blessing is if you win the overall approval of the courts at Wizengamot for your proposal."
"Hmm," Thane grunted in discontent, "When did they tell you about this?"
Daphne scoffed, "The very last possible moment right as I left of course."
"And if today is the last day of the holiday that means Wizengamont is in..."
"Two weeks from today," Daphne answered sourly.
"They're forcing my hand," Thane muttered in realization, "And completely disrupting the timeline I've meticulously planned."
"Did you not plan to pass the law this year?" Daphne asked confused as her heart skipped suddenly nervous.
"Realistically of course not," Thane almost growled his frustration growing with each passing moment, "The change I'm seeking to implement takes time. The ministry has no doubt bought enough votes to have my bill dismissed something I predicted and planned on."
"So my parents have asked you to do the impossible," Daphne asked her eyes narrowing as anger and betrayal warred within her.
Thane let out a disgruntled sigh, "No they haven't, they're just making sure my success is on their terms."
"What are you talking about?" Daphne asked confused.
"I showed too much of my hand," Thane replied taking Daphne's hand and pulling her along as he walked down the platform, "I was trying to impress your parents, but I never would have guessed they use it against me."
"Use what against you?" Daphne asked again even more confused.
Thane smirked equal parts agitated and impressed at the cunning of Daphne's parents, "My own genius of course. If I had another year to slowly implement everything I've been working on I would have been able to draw other houses to my side, but as of now the only reliable support I can call on is your parents meaning they get to demand the terms of our partnership."
Daphne's eyes widened as she finally realized what Thane was getting at, "They're the causation and the solution."
"Yep they know in order for me to meet their ridiculous standards, I need to play every last card in my hand leaving me with nothing to hold against them," Thane muttered while waving his hand through the air which caused a stream of materials to pour out from the different projects Thane had been working on which he directed into his storage chest.
"Thane, what are you doing?" Daphne asked looking around at the seemingly endless stream of materials her beloved was gathering, "Don't do something rash without thinking it through. You could always refuse to play their game!"
Thane suddenly stopped whirling around and took Daphne into his arms, "I'm afraid that they planned for that as well. The only reason why they're this bold is because they know that I would stop at nothing to get you everything you deserved. And you Daphne Greengrass deserve to be courted and wed like the prize you are."
Daphne blushed and was at a loss for words as she stared up at Thane whose emerald green eyes burned with an unquenchable passion, "O-okay."
Thane grinned before he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers trying to convey all the emotions that words failed to translate, all while his determination soared as he felt Daphne press herself against him and lost herself in his embrace.
