Into Germonia

Good news, the Company keeps profiles of their catalogued potential captures. Bad news, they aren't very detailed. At least I now knew enough about Ruby Lucas to know her presence here seemed like an anomaly, something I really didn't like seeing while running a test this fucking important to me. I could infer a few other things as well, just from her profile picture. One, she was hot. And two, she was some alternate little red riding hood who was also the big bad wolf at the same time. And three, she was a tier four due to being a werewolf, I presumed.

It could be fine. This world was a mashup, and maybe this was the best they could do for an adult version of Little Red? Or someone was fucking with my test, in which case things were not fine.

Still, thanks to Ella, I'd managed to put a bracelet on her, in a week, unless something really fucked up happened, she'd be mine and drawn to me, where I could question her. Her staying out here in the woods for that week was just fine by me. I had bigger fish to fry.

To that end, I also looked up the profiles for Snow White and Queen Grimhilde. I hadn't known the Queen's name, so that was useful info already. Snow also had the Monster Tamer and Maid tags. I'd say Disney had a theme going here, but I think these were the only two Princess maids.

Grimhilde though... Fuck. Divination, Witch, and Crafter. Oh, and Schemer, of course, so I'd have to make plans expecting her to be making her own plans. Well, she was still a Disney villain, I could trust her to be doing what she thought would give her the most power, and I could play into that.

And if I could wrangle that to include a bracelet on her arm, that would be better than Snow. Not that I wouldn't take both. That gave me two plans though, one if Snow was still at the castle playing suitor and another if she wasn't making a play for the Queen myself. Either way, this would be a really good time for Body Defense. Oh well.

.

In the morning, I decided to have a talk with Fogbert. He was increasingly out of his element, and I didn't think he'd want to stay the night at this camp on his own on the return journey if he stayed with us.

"Fogbert, tell me true, if you continue on with us, will you be stranded in the Germonia capital, unwilling to journey back on your own?"

He looked abashed. "Truth to tell your lordship, the worry did prey upon my mind."

I nodded. "This campsite might not be safe for a return journey. Tell me, do you think you could make it on your own back from here?"

"Aye, my lord, I would not even stop for lunch but ride until the walls were before me."

"And if we stick to the road, likewise not stopping, this should take us to the capital before nightfall?"

"It should my lordship, but you did pay me to deliver you safe."

I clamped my hand on his shoulder. "And you have done an admirable job, good Fogbert. Take these extra gems, no I insist, no one foresaw we'd encounter ought like a werewolf in these woods. Consider it danger pay and drink to my health upon your return home."

Playing the noble was becoming second nature at this point. Fogbert looked positively moved by my speech. Or the fortune in gems in his pocket. Either way, once the horses were packed, he headed back to the Kingdom of the Sun like the forest was aflame behind him. I couldn't blame him and hoped he made it safely. If I'd been recruiting mooks, I'd have been tempted to keep him. But he really wasn't my type.

Ella and I made our own way deeper into the Enchanted Forest along the road and skipping lunch managed to come in sight of the brooding castle before nightfall.

"Well, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" I winked back at Ella as we entered the capital. The guards here were much less friendly than the last kingdom, and our way was barred right away.

"What business have you here?" Sneered the guard who seemed in charge. I didn't take it personally, his boss wasn't someone to disappoint.

I swept him a mounted bow. "Greetings, I am Prince Guy of the Kingdom of Fawkes. I come to pay respects to your most esteemed Queen."

He looked me up and down while he digested that. Apparently eventually deciding that I looked princely enough, or possibly deadly enough. "Castles closed for the night, no visitors after dark, but you can find room at an inn and head up in the morning. They'll be expecting you."

"Thank you most kindly." I flipped him a small emerald that he expertly snatched out of the air, then looked impressed at what he found in his hand. "Is there an inn you'd recommend and can give directions to?"

Having bought some respect, he actually gave me a half ass salute. "Aye, your lordship, just follow the main road until you're almost at the castle. There'll be a big place, three stories tall, and still lit up even this late. The Black Rose, you can't miss it."

"Much obliged, Captain." I waved and rode on with Ella behind me. Military types always love being called captain, especially when they're just a lowly sergeant.

The Black Rose was indeed unmissable. Lodging for our horses, a good meal, and a room that came with a servant's cubby were easy enough to come by. Most of their patrons seemed to only be here for the ale.

Much as I wanted to spend a last night with Ella in my bed, knowing there was a chance the Queen would be spying on us with her mirror, which she didn't know I knew about, would be a very bad idea. It would be a pretty good idea to act as if we were being watched at all times, in fact. Ella knew her part, and I had confidence in her.

In the morning, I'd have my audience with the Queen of Germonia. Performance Talent, don't fail me now.