RP:Snek Better Have My Money

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Summary: Callum, Meri, and Sargaso return to Frostmaw with the promised eye in the jar and a whole lot of confrontation. Tempers flare over payment.

Food Store

The same guard will be posted outside the pantry-made-infirmary. He’d received advanced orders of their arrival. Expect them any time, Regi had warned him, so when and if Meri, Cal, and Sarge present they’ll find less resistance to their entry. In the time between their last visit and today, Regi is looking less like a snow golem and more like a living creature with blush in her pale cheeks. Due in large part to the quick medical attention of the Frostmaw Healers and Muzo’s tireless efforts to remind her not to ‘overwork’ herself. They caught a break with this. Very lucky. She’s replaying this interaction affectionately when the small group is ushered in. Her bobbed hair cut has been straightened to look intentional and less ragged. She’s wearing a golden overly plush robe, huddling the fluff of the neckline against her chin. The cloth screen is gone, and has given way to less medical equipment and more crates or flat surfaces that are now covered in inked parchments. Some are maps of the Alithryian palace grounds and the secret tunnels within. Some are strongly worded essays that appear to be unfinished; scrawled in passionate penmanship and discharged onto an earlier draft with the same sentiment. A small fire is burning in a makeshift fire pit, which has been pulled to the center of the room to keep the food that still occupies the storage space frozen and undisturbed by her desire to be warm. It’ll take her a moment or two to notice their arrival. She’s bent over another piece of parchment, mumbling quietly, re-reading the texture there in.

Callum would step past the guards when they arrived, leading Meri into the room they’d been in once before, equipped with his satchel that held the jar they’d gone into Alithrya for--though, unfortunately not the necklace. “Reg” is all he’d say to get her attention, accompanying it with a nod. There probably should be a bow or referring to her as ‘Your Majesty’ or some such but, as it were, she wasn’t -his- Queen and he wasn’t exactly the type to go around bowing to royalty--that time had long since passed in another land that no longer existed--not anymore anyway. A hand was brought up to scratch his chin in thought, a frown forming, and a pursing of lips following as he tried to find the best way to say it, but just came out with the straight truth, “We got the jar, but not the necklace.” He made no mention of the fact that they’d pilfered a few things from the bedroom and pawned them off to various fences around Cenril, but would she even be angry about it? It was probably Jaize’s stuff anyway; that woman was hella vain.

Meri arrives with Callum, but it seems that they are short one person tonight. Where was Sargaso? The answer to this question was really of little significance, the man would get his keep for his efforts one way or another. Into the room Meri would go, dressed in that usual rough and tumble sort of style she was prone to. She had this very lovely black jacket to help with the warmth while she is up here in Forstmaw, though. This engineer chick bought it for her. As far as Meri was concerned, Callum had said everything that needed to be said. They had a jar, they did not find the necklace. There were definitely some other items lifted, it did not cross Meri's mind as to if Reginae would be upset because if it was not Jaize's stuff that was stolen? Well how was Reginae to know it was really them that did it. Her wretched sister could have replaced Reginae's 'tacky' jewelry with pieces more suitable for Jaize's tastes. Oh they may have found a book too, but like Cal said. Jar, no necklace. While Meri had noticed Reginae's recovery, this was so far not a social visit. She could be annoyed, not the time for small talk, so Meri's silent for now.

Reginae looks up from her parchment, pale lips twitching into a delayed grin to greet them. “Welcome, Champions.” She cheers, arms widened dramatically until Cal gets straight to the point and admits the mission was only half successful. Her arms remain outstretched but there’s a twitch in her left eye...probably from some other stress and not this actual news. “Ah.” She says, flatly before allowing her arms to drop. The golden robe remains in place while her still grey gaze floats to his satchel and then Meri in search of secret items. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to that…” She mused, bending forward to press her palms into her tail (where a humanoid’s knees might be) and straightening herself up to stand at a similar height as the two rogue types before her. “I appreciate your efforts, and you will not go unrewarded…” After all they did still risk their lives to bring her the jar and the jar could prove a more powerful token than the necklace itself. If only symbolically. “I trust you avoided the new Queen’s wrath along the way?” Her gaze scans Meri for sign of injuries and then Callum, with no sign of trying to hide her intentions with tactical political graces. All the while she’s shifting slowly towards a crate near the bedding construct in the corner where the cot had been previously. It appears several feathered pillows have been lined end to end and stacked to construct a makeshift mattress.

Callum wasn’t injured and neither was Meri thankfully. “No. We’re all unharmed. They did see us, however. A maid came in to tend to her duties and unfortunately found us there. I suppose Jaize must’ve had the necklace on her.” He stepped over to the naga, opened his satchel and pulled out the eyeball jar, handing it over to the rightful queen of the naga. That aforementioned book just so happened to be in his bag too, and was now able to be seen! But, maybe he got it from the Xalious or Cenril libraries? It couldn’t possibly be the only one in print, right? Hopefully it’s not fancier than the others if there is more than one edition. “The jar’s intact though, despite having a bit of trouble there.”

Meri lifts a brow. While Reginae was clearly disappointed, it was not nearly to the extent that Meri had anticipated. Perhaps that is why the woman was as surprised as she is? She was anticipating worse? Was the necklace even that important to Reginae, Meri could not help but wonder. Blue eyes trail after Callum as he moves to give the naga woman that jar containing the eyeball, red lips pressing together for the briefest of moments. Much like the last time, Meri is the one to bring up the issue of numbers. Their efforts will no go unrewarded but, "How much?" She is going to say five thousand, at least that is the thought running through Meri's mind. A couple of slow steps toward Reginae, as she is traveling back toward the crate. Nothing more than harmless movement about the room, like Meri is going to try and do something reckless to the sneklady in front of a bunch of guards (or even if there were no guards, lol).

Sargaso , having lost track of the time, jerks up in bed and nearly topples the person he'd been sharing it with. "Shhiiiii-" He hisses as he glances at the clock. "What is it?" Asks a groggy feminine voice. "I'll be back," he says as he jumps out of bed and dresses quickly. He jogs from the tavern to the fort and just catches sight of Meri as she enters the pantry behind her nerdy boyfriend. He takes a breath, calms himself, then slips in when the guard recognizes him from the first time the trio visited the naga queen. "Your, uh, majesty," he bows his head to Reginae, then glances at Callum (still a dweeb, but he's alright for a dweeb) and Meri and nods to them both. "Sorry." Not really though. You see, technically Sarge beat them to Frostmaw by a whole day and two nights, however that wasn't planned. Look, this story isn't really appropriate for ladies, so Callum, just you and me, alright? So there I was two nights ago getting hammered at Whaler's when this total babe, I'm talking a knock-out, a ten, alright? She starts looking at me in that way that you just know, you just know this babe is down to [beeeeeep]. So I buy her some drinks, one thing leads to another, and suddenly we're a shack I keep on the beach for exactly this type of situation, what with Amy being at home and all, you know how it is. So, we're at the shack, and BAM! Suddenly the door gets kicked in, three guys storm one, one is her husband!!! And I'm caught with my pants down and my tool in the toolshed, if ya catch my drift, my man. We run out the back, onto the deck, hop a boat. But they see us get as far as the docks, so we hide in a shipping crate of luxury blankets and pillows. Romantic, right? Stars overhead, there we were, could get caught at any moment, so we do it again. Pass out, next day, I notice the container is moving, but I'm not hearing waves, I'm hearing trotting. I peek out, we're in Kelay, and there's a few guards standing on the wagon to protect the cargo against bandits. So I figure we'll make our escape first chance we get, and turned out that was Frostmaw! Can you believe it? My dude. My dude. I swear this only happens to me. Don't tell Meri. She won't let us bro out if she finds out. Back in the pantry-or-royal-snake-war-council-room, Sarge gestures towards the jar. "What exactly is that, anyway?"

Reginae bends forward to accept the jar, catching sight of the text in his bag through the mauve liquid in the jar. The grey lensed eye within bobs around uselessly, perfectly preserved. Her lips part, about to ask about the book when Sarge comes in with a lot of brow waging and temporary apologetical look in his eye. He’s got the look of a man who has never apologized for anything sincerely. “It’s an eye.” She points at the lens before it rotates towards Sarge. Her lips spread in a wide, almost wicked (?) grin as she clarifies. “Jaize’s eye, to be exact.” No need to specify. “I’d love to keep to my original offer but I’m afraid I’ve only got one piece of the puzzle now…” She shrugs at Meri almost mercilessly. “I understand you put your lives on the line but you came out unscathed thanks to your expert skill but…”

Sorry, Sarge. Cal doesn’t have your back on this. He’ll definitely tell Meri. He also doesn’t need to ‘bro out’ because he’s not a bro. He’s not a dudebro at all. He’s a dweeb, remember? Cal’s attention is peaked when Meri mentions the payment, Reginae replies with whose eye that actually is, and then she starts to get flaky about giving them their gold...and he’s suddenly not very happy about it. “We may have frakkin’ come out alive, but it was barely. It’s not our goddamned fault your sister likely has it. You sent three humans into a literal frakkin’ snake pit and you’re a little sad because we didn’t your precious piece of jewelry?” Oooh. There’s that Catalian fire; it’s just like Lionel and Brand’s. “I felt like a motherfrakkin’ trap, Reginae. Feels like there’s more going on beneath the surface because I sure as hell wouldn’t be attached to some bauble like you are if my sister just off’d me and took over my kingdom.” There was an angry frown to accompany that fire, those ocean-blue eyes of his rather cold.

Meri would actually love to be a fly on the wall in that dudebro session and not because she is eager to play the role of jealous girlfriend. She would just love to see Callum's reaction to half of the malarky that Sarago could drag him into. But Callum is not a dudebro and apparently he is going to tell Meri, like a good boyfriend, so that she can ground him. But she is oblivious to all of this. All of it. What she is not oblivious to is the fact that Callum is feeling a little feisty right now. Eyes are narrowed upon Reginae. More specifically, the psion sets her sights upon the jar that Reginae is holding. Those two words are repeated in a tone of voice that was full of edge, "How much." Reginae may have a hold on the jar at the moment, but Meri's also less than amused with how she appears to be flaking on the gold. It could be a trap or a trick...and Meri is not about to walk out of here with nothing (short of what they might have fenced from all that stolen jewelry). "And don't play games. Unless you would rather have no pieces of the puzzle...." Just as this is said, Reginae is going to feel quite the tug on the jar that she is holding by something unseen. Barring the means to stop the psion, Meri has every intention of using her abilities to steal the jar back from Reginae and send it smoothly levitating across the room and into Meri's hands. Hopefully Reginae can't stop Meri. Or else her threat is going to seem awful pathetic. Maybe you need no pieces. Pssssh. Shush Meri.

Sargaso can see that it's an eye, Regi. Did he just get sassed? She clarifies only a little when she says it's Jaize's eye. His curiosity in freaky snake stuff evaporates when Reginae signals she'll not be paying them. Callum gives her a piece of his mind, then Meri. They've covered the various points of his argument. He has the same instinct as Meri, to take the jar back, and no knowledge that Meri is using her telekinesis now to take the jar back. He lunges forward to swipe back the jar, rip it right out of Reginae's hand by catching her off guard, if he can. "If you won't pony up the gold, I'll go find a buyer who can." He stops himself short of threatening to sell this back to Jaize and tell her all about where Reginae is now, but not out of any loyalty for some "important" snake (who cares), but out of loyalty to his own skin. Her guard are likely already on edge, and any threat to Reginae by tattling on her to her sister will likely see him separated from his skin.

Reginae’s smile has fallen between the cracks. Her eyes are holding Callum’s, unwavering and pointed. “I never said I wouldn’t be paying you.” She sweeps her eyes to Meri as her psionic abilities tug on the jar. Then to Sarge, following his attempt to swipe it back. Reginae pulls herself back smoothly by a few feet of her tail’s length to avoid the collision with his hand. Aramoth damn them, they were making this so complicated with their irrational assumptions. “You completed a service, did me a favor and I will make sure it’s repaid.” There’s something akin to his Catalian Fire in her own eyes, she recognizes the cut of Callum’s jaw when he stands against her. Just like Hildegarde’s Knight Commander. A little sad, she scuffs privately in the base of her throat. No audible sound making it’s way into the room. What did he think she was? A child that didn't get to play with her favorite dolly before nap time? “This eye is hers, which means I could use it to find some weakness. It will still have trace elements of her magic.” Her voice is even and icy. There’s no sentiment or affection in this souvenir. It’s not a trinket to be held. Mementos of a simpler time. No. This was about destroy the monster they’d seen shed it’s vile skin and blossom before the coronation like a spring tulip. “If you would let me finish…” She exhales, using her free hand to straighten the hemline of her robe and clear her throat. The naga queen isn’t afraid to die here, not that she thinks she would. Three humans to a naga? Hardly a bet but she is recovering and they’ve provided a service. Plus she likes how firey they all are. Do Callum and Meri keep exchanging glances? She wonders if they are dating, what a cute couple they’d be. “...but I’d like more information about your journey and what you found. For instance...tell me about that book…and then- “ A pause, another sweep of the eyes in the room to make sure nothing tricky is going on here. “I’ll pay you what we agreed upon.” She says, pointing a thin digit at Callum’s bag, even if it’s no longer open for her to see inside.

Callum wouldn’t summon up any of his water or electricity in defense as Meri and Sarge try their best to get the jar. That’s not how he did things. Talking was his thing; whether it was to con someone out of their money or in this case, work a little diplomacy. “Book?” Right. That one. In your bag, dummy. The one you were reading on the way here. There was confusion as he looked to Meri, then back to the snake-woman, that frown of his still present. “It’s a book. It’s got pages with words.” More of that Catalian snark. “It might be about your kind.” That’s all she was getting right now; Cal was still a bit on edge. He definitely wasn’t telling her he got it from the palace. “What exactly would you want with a book? First it’s a necklace and now this?”

Meri would not be at all offended by Sargaso's aid in trying to steal the jar. It does mean that he is likely the one who intercepts the jar over Meri, something else that the woman was okay with. It was just one less thing to worry about in case she needed to go a little Carrie on Reginae. Thankfully this does not seem to be the case, for Reginae clarifies her stance on their payment and does not seem to be dreadfully upset over the antics of the humans. "It's a book." Meri reaffirms, with no apology to prior behavior. "One that you seem awful familiar with, or else you would not be asking about it." Do Meri and Callum seem to be exchanging glances? To a degree yes, one is shared with him right now in fact. One is also sent toward Sargaso. No further information is offered up and intentionally so, for a couple of reasons. First, there was really no information of note to offer up outside of what they have already explained to Reginae (short of additional items stolen -- like this book). Second, Meri was trying to keep the subject at hand on the book, and the gold, "Perhaps you fancy this book as much as you fancied that necklace? Perhaps a delivery of a book and an eye would be suitable?"

Sargaso straightens himself and steps back when Reginae says she will pay them as if they're the idiots here. Maybe snake people should learn to speak like real people. (/racism) When Reginae asks Callum about a book, Sarge sighs impatiently. He needs to get back to Cenril today or Amy will set fire to everything he owns cause she'll assume he's been out cheating. He has been, but that's not the point. "Hey." He opens his arms out like 'come on.' "How much you paying?" he says.

Reginae offers an overdone smile in Callum’s direction. Har har, it’s a book, she gets it. Same thing she did with the eye? How classic jokester Callum that she’s known for literally a few months by now. His vague statements earn no reply, but Meri’s inquiry. Ahhhh yes. Reginae shifts her body towards Meri, setting the jar down on a crate to free up her hands. “Let’s alter the deal then, so there’s no hard feelings…” She’s smiling so wide they should be able to see her fangs, it’s a little alarming that they’ve basically accused her of setting up a trap for them when she’d had no intention of dishonoring their agreement. It’s a bias against nagas. This is why bridging the gap was so difficult. “Even though I don’t really appreciate the assumption I had something wicked in mind. I get it.” Her palms go up, trying to disperse the negative air. The corners of her eyes soften but her expression remains mildly impatient. “I believe the rate we agreed on was 10,000 for the necklace and the eye, plus an additional 5,000 if you found something of interest. Let’s consider the 15,000 a gracious thanks for your trouble and delivering this book that might contain information about my people, as you say.” She doesn’t bother asking if it’s fair or if they agree. Everyone in this room is too tense and her shoulders ache holding this stance. Where was Muzo? She reaches slowly into a compartment of the crate near her mattress and pulls out the promised amount of gold to hand to Callum, only once he hands the book to her.

Callum smirked, “Yeah. Giant snake lady. Can’t imagine why we wouldn’t think something’s shady.” He sighed heavily, then eyed the book. “Feels like we should be getting a bit more, seeing as how we almost died. Make it 20,000 or I find someone who really likes burning things to take care of it for me.” And he knows a guy. A guy that he really doesn’t want to have to find, but he at least knows him. “I don’t even particularly care about fencing it, but if it’s that important to you, then you’ll give it to us.” Cal clearly wasn’t playing around. There’s only one sneaky snek around here damn it, and it was him. He withdrew the book from his bag, lifting it so she could see the cover, though he kept a vice-like grip on it. “Well?”

Reginae was entitled to her thoughts and opinions of course, but for all of Meri's part...her suspicion was not due to the fact that Reginae was a naga. It was stemmed from history and hard learned lessons. Perhaps that is not the case for Callum or for Sargaso, but Meri would at least treat everyone with this suspicion. The fact that Reginae is a giant snake lady is probably the one thing that is keeping Meri from being outright hostile during these renegotiations. 15,000 is tossed out for a number, the agreed upon amount when they took this job. A number that really did not set well with the greedy bunch. Callum shoots back with 20,000. Reginae has put the jar down, Meri is inclined to try and swipe it again should they not get the number they want. Tense indeed. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel, for better or for worse. Either Reginae would refuse and they would walk, or she would pay up and they would walk. Either way, they are going to be walking quite soon. Blue eyes are locked hard on the snake lady.

Sargaso exhales a breath he didn't know he was holding as Reginae runs through calculations in her head. 15,000 is more than enough. 5,000 gold for his take, more than enough to shut up Amy when she starts yelling at him when he gets home. Callum negotiates for more and Sarge, reflexively and without intention, crosses his arms and squares his shoulders. This is a shake down now, apparently. Unlike Meri, he doesn't think about swiping the jar again. 15k is fine, anything above 10k is, really. He keeps quiet until it's time to go.

Reginae’s eyes narrow at this quip. “How about we call it even at 17,000 considering you didn’t bring the most important item -and- you are changing your end of the deal.” The stuff is important but so is her pride. If this was a dead end, fine. She’ll deal with it on her own. Find someone who will purchase the items back FOR her. There’s an endless network of people she could use and hardly no other use for the items except for a naga. Jaize wouldn’t care about them. If they tried to meet with her...Aramoth help them. If they thought Reginae was unreasonable...“I’m holding up my end of the deal. We’re all benefit and can call this thing done.” She doesn’t move to take the book from Callum, though honestly she could. A lot of people could do a lot of things, but no one has. Yet.

Callum narrowed his eyes as well, studying Reginae. But… ultimate, he gave over the book. “Fine.” There might even be a little bit of apology muttered? He’s not completely awful. Only a little. There’d be an exchange of goods and then Cal would make for the door. “You take care of this hell that’s going on in your town before it starts spilling over into everyone else’s worlds. Maybe make Meri some nice boots out of her, if you want.” The mage shrugged, then side-eyed the blonde. We should probably go, yeah?

The back and forth between Callum and Reginae has every bit of Meri's attention, her eyes are locked more on Reginae than they are on Callum at this point. Occasionally they do stray to the guards that have been posted. The woman is not inclined to chime in from this point on, it was Callum's call as to when he would hand over the book or not. Meri would ultimately end supporting whatever decision he made. No apology comes on Meri's part, business was business and terms of deals are changed all the time. Please Meri doesn't know Reginae well enough to feel remorseful, it probably does not help Reginae's cause that Meri is of the opinion that fifteen thousand or even twenty-thousand cold as hardly a number that the woman would even bat a lash at. That side-eye is noticed, Reginae is given a nod to bid her farewell, and then Meri would turn to depart right alongside Callum. Sargaso, too. Obviously.