Fable - Ask Dangerous Contents

[Esmeralda]

Like many night before Queen Esmerelda lay away in her chambers tossing and turning as her mind raced and sleep eluded her.
This needed to be done, and it needed to be done now.
Slowly, making certain not to alert those stationed outside her door, Esmerelda climbed out from underneath the covers. She tiptoed across the room to her vanity and opened on of the draws filled with ribbons. Pushing them aside, Esme placed her palm on the base and pushed softly.
Click. The base of the draw lifted slighty, the young ruler hooked her finger into a small grove and lifted the base out of place.
Concealed was parchment, a quill and ink, some wax and her personal seals stamp. She removed all of the contents and lit a candle. Then she began scribbiling away.
___________________

The clock tower chimed signaling midnight. Esmerelda had just sealed her letter and changed into a simple, plain, grey dress, a matching gooded cloak to and on top of that she pulled on one of her older, shabby looking furs.
The monarch could take the chance of being recognized, not like their would be anyone on the streets besides drunkards at such a late hour.
Letter concealed and hood up Esme stepped into the back of her wardrobe, pushed a panel and made her way through a secret passage way....then another...and then another.


Ol' Bean

 

[Ol' Bean]

Candles burned low. Real low. Their wax pooling fat and spent in their holder's trays.

All whilst Ol' Bean stared down at his large ledger, opened in front of him. Names and numbers and amounts neatly organized into rows and columns.

Say what you wanted about the old Frohoggin, he knew how to keep a tight ship.

Something shattered outside in the tavernhall.

Bean narrowed his eyes, and let out a long sigh that turned to short croak.

At least his number keeping was tight. He put his quill back in its pen, and shut his ledger. Rose up from his seat, and walked out from behind his desk with his dark green cape trailing behind him.
----
In Bean's Tavern, also known as the Jade Lilly, sometimes referred to as the Jade Frog, or simply, The Frog, there was a sizeable crowd. It was a well enough adorned, with warm ambers and burnt orange candles and oil lamps painting the walls. Much of the decor was in contrast. Cool and earthy blues and greens.

Made the space look every bit a warm glade, the tables like lilypads.

As the door of his office clicked shut behind him. The two men grappled in a scuffle stopped beating each other. The large brawny dog-kin that was the bartender shook his head.

"Bean,"

"Rogen," the frogmaster croaked, his large yellow eyes fixed on the miscreants. "Donald, Emi,"

They let each other go and stood up straight. "S-sorry bean, we just,"

"What did I tell you last time you two were in here causing -ribbit- your skullduggery, eh?" his throat ballooned with froggish anger.

Esmeralda Sophia Le Roux

 

[Esmeralda]

Finally Esmerelda reached the last door. Slowly she opened it but instead of being met by a empty stone pathways she came face to face with a large, burly man with distinctive facial markings dressed in leather armour.

"By all the gods and the dragon!" Her voice broke into the darkness as an exclaimed whisper. "Koa, what are you doing here?"

He looked down onto his queen, his voice husky and as impassive as his facial expression.
"Your Majesty, a rat does not scurry in these streets without me being aware."


Esme could not take the chance of being spotted. She needed to get this letter out as soon as possible.
"If you will stand aside Chieftain, I have urgent matters to attend to." As she moved to step past him and walk on Koa in turn began to follow.

"Now is not the time for duty." Esmerelda shot over her shoulder, her voice still slighty above a whisper as she began taking the back roads in direction of her destination, but Koa did not answer and instead simply followed in silence.

Convining the warrior to leave her side was most definitely a loosing battle, accepting her fate she continued the rest of the route in silane. Once the pair were three doors away she spoke to him for the last time,

"Give it fifteen minutes."

"Ten."

With that, Esmerelda pushed open the door to the Jade Lilly. With her head low she headed straight for the bar.
"One emerald dragon."

Ol' Bean

 

[Ol' Bean]

Many of the patrons of Ol'Bean's were of animaux blood. Ol' Bean himself, in fact. Each to their own tribe, their own kin. Pantheraens, the caninites, and the frohoggin, just to name a few of the bloodlines represented neath the Jade Lily's roof.

Another ribbit left Bean's throat, and his big yellow eyes glared at the two young men who's faces were already swelling, patches of fur torn out, some blood trickling down small cuts.

"You lot forget yerselfs," his flat froggy feet slapped quiet as he strode across the floor with his bouncy step. "That we are but guests in this land," he took a tankard and took it to the casks. The bar was silent as he poured, and quieter still as his beer comb tapped against the hardwood of the countertop. Cypress, from their old homeland. "

Cause too much noise, and the locals with think us but animals to be muzzled," he slit the beer's foam off, whipped the comb and did it again for the second pour. It was the weak stuff. Only just barely strong enough to taste a hint of sweet poison. And bitter as medicine. A thing to be sipped on. A thing that helped clear the mind, rather than feed the fire.

"Now sit your asses down and have yer'selves one last drink," a croak, and he twirled the comb in his hand like an assassin might a blade, and slapped it down hard against the counter. Turned and put the drinks on the table. "Or get the hell out of m'bar and don't go showin your faces here again, savvy?" He folded his arms about his high, long legged waist. Fingers brushing the fine pommel of a long and narrow knife.

"Y-yes, Bean, of course, w-we are sorry,"

Bean nodded, and from his throat came a pleased ribbit. "Good," ribbit. He frog-stepped away, his fine cape trailing behind him as the young men sat down to drink, and the other patrons got back to their business.

Rogen just smiled his doggish smile, and shook his head as he went on cleaning some glass.

Esmeralda Sophia Le Roux

 

[Esmeralda]

Esmerelda had kept her head down and hood on whilst she waited for her drink.
Had the code changed? Was she at the wrong place?

The emerald dragon she had head her father speak of ordering all those years ago when all she was was a Princess that hid in secret passages eavesdropping on her father and brother meetings.


She had also seemed to have walked in half way through a brawl which was cut short by an Animaux that appeared to frog, or were they a toad?

Did these people truly not feel as if Routé was their home or was it simply a trick to calm down the rowdy patreons?

If the first option was the case then it was something Esmerelda wished to rectify, he first start would be asking the owner once she finally got to speak with them.


Ol' Bean

 

[Ol' Bean]

The dog kin looked at the little lady at the bar. "Bean," he boofed from his shaggy snout. "An emerald dragon."

Bean stopped mid long step. Turned on his heal, and saw the young woman at the bar. His eternal golden squint fixed on her. He croaked. Cleared his throat, and hopped over. His cape fluttered behind him, and he landed before the young blond woman, took out a tin shaker, and some glass, and with quick hands that snapped out and grabbed up and poured, created a frothy potion of a drink, fizzing and sweating cold from the Ice he had sourced from a mage, and kept beneath the wood.

Finally, the drink came poured in a white porcelain bowl, the color emerald, the bobbles glittering like scales. He put the drink before her. Ribbit.

"An emerald dragon, for the emerald lady," he whispered softly, voice small and wet. "Forgive an old frog his dramatics," he said with a croak. "How may I be of service?" his eyes looked expectantly.

 

[Esmeralda]

As Ol' Bean mixed the drink, Esmereldas eyes grew wide in awe. She had thought it was a simple code, but to pleasant surpise it came accompanied with a drink and an interesting one at that.

"Thank you," Esmerelda took a small sip, uncertain of the taste.
Her eyes scanned the room. Koa had just walked in and taken a seat in a far corner whilst the rest of the crowd seemed completely oblivious to who she was - still, it was not worth the risk.

"Is there somewhere more private we could talk? The topic is rather..." She leaned in closer now, " Sensitive."

 

[Ol' Bean]

Bean gave a bow of his head to the young woman. Knew she was someone of great importance, for only those tied to the Royal House knew to order the proper drink. A small ribbit came from the old frogs throat. A sound that none who knew him would think amiss. And he straightened up, straight backed and long legged.

"But of course," he said, and long stepped toward his office door, just to the left of where the bar ended. He motioned with his hands. "Right this way, m'lady," he croaked. His big golden eyes blinked, and he turned on his heels, holding the door open for the beautiful stranger.

Esmeralda

 

[Esmeralda]

As Esmerelda entered the private room she kept her eyes forward but felt a familiar pair burning into the back of her head as Bean closed the door behind them.

Turning to face the Frohoghin, the monarch finally let down her hood and resumed her normal posture.

"I shall cut right to the chase." Esme had no time to waste. "Long ago, my father intrusted you with secrets of his own, secrets that could have either caused Route to fall to ash or prosper." She swollowed hard before reaching into the left side of her fur and pulling out the letter she had sealed only an hour or two ago.

"So I have come here in hopes that will offer the same loyalty not to the crown, but the daughter of a man who trusted you." Then out of the other side of her fur she pulled a large coin purse and placed it on nearby table.

It was safe to say Esmerelda was uncertain of what to expect. Would he refuse or tell her she had the wrong 'man' ? That he wished for something besides coin in exchange? (Which at this stage she was more then willing to consider)

Had she made the wrong choice entirely in coming here this night?

 

[Ol' Bean]

Wide webbed feet slapped crisp and clean across the cool stone floor of his office. His hands behind his back, the frohoggin had not expected the queen herself to appear at his establishment. A body double, maybe, but that she would be here in the flesh.

These were dangerous waters indeed.

He croaked with thought as he stood behind his desk. His eyes low and on the ledgers scattered about. "Your highness," he said with a bow of his head. "It was your father's welcome that helped me become the man I am today," his throat swelled, and the sound rumbled some in his throat. Steady and calm. "His trust," he went on, his eyes looked to a sigil, carved into the wood of his desk long ago, its edges dulled by the rub and run of countless things come across it.

"Is the same trust you will inherit, your Majesty," Bean croaked with a bow. "But I am but a broker, My Queen," he rose up and looked her over again. "A businessman, retired from the days where I could be of service to one beneath such burdens," he croaked again, and gestured to the room around him. "I have people to care for now, and many a vulnerability to be exploited," his eyes closed, and he sat behind his desk. "I fear that mayhap," a ribbit. "You seek a frohoggin who was here in the yesteryear, but is no longer hear," his eyes met her, but they spoke of test. Of proving. Not a dismissal, but an urging to rise to the challenge.

Else, how could he trust her?

 

[Esmeralda]

Esmerelda was silent for a while as she took in Beans words. Leaving the letter and coin from where it lay she stood up, wandering over to a well stocked bookshelf, tracing her finger across the spines until she found one with title  records engraved on one.

Her fingered lingered there for a moment before she turned to face Bean once more, hand now infont of her.

"When last have you met with a member of the Perfuge sir?" Her tone earnest and question genuine.

King Rowen had founded the organization when he first took the crown but since her own corination, Esmerelda had failed in making time to meet with them and ensure all was still well. Lately her focus had been on staving off her uncles, marriage prospects, securing outside alliances and proving to those who reminded doubtful that she was worthy to bear the weight of the crown.

But from what she had heard in the tavern, and now from beans own mouth, her attention was also largely required elsewhere.

Esmereldas eyes moved to the same sigil Beans had only moment ago.

"You are a respected member in your community from what my informant have told me." She looked now at him again. "And if the Perfugae are no longer doing their duties they were brought apon to preform; or even if you need assistance beyond their capabilities. I wish you make it known to me." She took a step closer to the frohoggin, "Now, on this night."

 

[Ol' Bean]

Bean, Be'anklonin, stroked the whiskers that sprouted from his toadskin chin. She was a bold one, this young queen. Eager to make a difference. To make change. Would be that such eagerness be misguided. What would happen then, he could not help but wonder.

"It has been some time since I last spoke with either Duke Oran or Duchess Sabene," he croaked. Nod gently to himself. "I do not think the fault lays on their heads, your Majesty, but," his throat swelled, but no sound came from the contemplative gesture. "The amount of work," another quick swell of his vocal sac, another thought passed through. "It is much for one removed from the life to deal with, the issues we face here on the streets of our beloved kingdom," his wide yellow eyes shut, and he bowed his head some to the royal. "Jealous men and women, your Majesty, who see those new to the land's refuge, as threat, as... competition they would rather not deal with," his eyes opened, and he looked down at the map of their kingdom. "Easier to frigthen, and be-little. Make a person feel small, make them feel unseen and unrespected, and soon, they will defeat themselves for you, far from the home they had, with no home to welcome them and the gifts they might bring," he shook his head. "It is a big problem, your majesty, one with no answer to be had cleanly and easily,"

 

[Esmeralda]

Poundering for a moment, she knew the tavern owners words to be true. Emeralda herself would likely never understand the trails and tribulations her warriors went through if she herself had not spent so much time immersed within them, fighting along side them and living as they did.

Then an idea sprung to her mind, one that she thought to be mutually beneficial.
"Sir, I am working towards building a better, stronger royal council and I would like to offer you a seat." Esme paused, "If you accept you will come as a representative for all refugees as well as the commen people. This position will give you the opportunity to be at the for front of solving the problems you yourself have mentioned. You are a respected member of the community, a trusted allie of the crown, a business owner and, although you have lived here many decades, a refugee non the less."

Looking around the Beans desk, the monarch spotted a quill and paper and began scribbeling away. When she was finished she folded the parchment and handed it to the frohoggin. "If you accept my offer, take this to the kitchen entrance at the palance and ask for Quinciee. You will find ive also writted down three dates, if you have not arrived on any of these three, I shall assume you have turned down the offer and begin looking for a replacement. "

Esmerlda had no idea what to expect from the animaux who stood before her. She could tell he was intelligent and causious, knew where his loyalties lay and would not simply do something because of ones rank. For that, she held respect.