"Customers, Mum!" Kes pointed at the richly dressed pair who had entered the inn and taken a seat at one of the cleaner tables. She went to chop up more celery, did a double-take, froze, and hurried into the kitchen.

Anci rolled her eyes and approached them. "Can I help you? "

Lana squinted at the tall, willowy blonde woman before her. She looks familiar, a bit. Out loud, she said, "Yes... Um, Char, why are we here again? "

His ears flushed. "I dunno. Scene change, maybe?"

Anci sighed. "Are you going to order?"

"Sure. Lemonade for the Lady and rum? For me?" he asked uncertainly.

Anci nodded and slipped into the kitchen. "A lemonade and a rum, Kessie. Why'd you hide?"

"Ran into them while scouting the palace. She flushed and handed the tankards to her mother.

Char looked around him at the dingy inn. "Not to be rude, but where are we, exactly?"

Lana peered around and shrugged. "That sign says we're at the Dancing Doe."

Char squinted at it. "That's Dove, not Doe. The v's been faded out."

Anci set the tankards on the battered table and scowled. "I'll get around t' painting it, eventually. 'Though maybe... KES!!!" She yelled.

Kester's dark head poked out of the kitchen door.

"Will you fix the sign this afternoon?"

"O' course."

Lana recognized the girl. "Hey, Char! That's the girl we saw, the maid. I should tell her The Powers That Be is very sorry for scaring her... Even if he isn't."

Char shrugged and sipped his rum, making a face. He turned to Anci. "Could you water this down, maybe? I'm not used t it being so...strong."

Kes retrieved the mug. "I'll do it."

Lana snickered. "He's used to watered-down drinks; his mommy hasn't let him have real wine yet."

Char flushed again. "I'd like to see you guzzle hard liquor." [IRW: smacks Char BAD IDEA!!!!!!!!]

Lana scowled and look at Anci. "I'm sorry; may I have a rum instead?"

Anci fetched one with a shrug.

Lana grabbed the mug, and, as a shocked Char watched on, chugged the whole thing down. Finishing off, she wiped her mouth with one arm and loudly ordered another mug. Unfortunately for Char, it wouldn't be her last; Lana had a habit of getting incredibly drunk when allowed to have hard liquor.

Kes stared. "There's a sight ye don't see ev'ry day."

"No," Marek agreed, entering with a basket of potatoes.

After an hour of singing rude sailor songs, Lana had began to come down from her alcohol induced high. She weakly grasped a half full mug and mumbled about mice in a cheese farm. Seeing his chance, Char tried to pry the mug from her hands, but ended up getting smacked. Lana muttered some more and passed out.

Char felt lucky she didn't start vomiting- THAT would have been too much.

The plethora of thieves in the smoky inn had watched in shock as the noblewoman drank herself into a stupor.

"'S'not good fer ye, ye know." Ercole had murmured to Kes.

Char sighed and picked Lana up, thanking the Gods that her love of alcohol did not extend to food. Bidding farewell to the astonished pub-goers, he walked out into the dark night. "Good gods, Lady Lana, you didn't have to get completely drunk. You're lucky none of those people know who you are, or your reputation would be down the gutter." He murmured as he wove his way through the city streets, not noticing the shadow following them. [IRW: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's... CLICHE MAN!!!]

Lana sighed and squirmed a bit. "Dancing Doe..." She mumbled.

Char sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's Dancing Dove." He re-adjusted her in his grasp.

He was nearing the Temple district when he felt it- a faint prickling that told him something wasn't right. It wasn't the fact that Lana was beginning to drool, or that she had kneed him in her sleep- twice- in sensitive areas. No, it was a feeling of impending doom. He walked faster but the prickling didn't leave him.

He entered the Temple District- the safe part of the city- but still he felt uneasy. Finally he stopped and turned around. "If you're going to follow me why not at least give me your name? Then I can know what to put on the restraining order! For the sake of sportsmanship, come out. As you can see, I'm holding an unconscious girl and if you were to jump me I would be helpless."

A dark figure stepped out of the surrounding trees. As he stepped into the light, Char gasped. "You!"

"Me." Ercole sneered back at him. "I told your father I would make him pay what he owed me. Now I've come to collect." He pulled out a dagger. "He usurped my throne, you know. I was to be king, but no, darling Tybalt had to overthrow me. But he is old. Once you're dead, there will be no one left to rule but ME!!!!"

Char shook his head and set Lana to the side, out of harm. "What makes you think that my father took your throne?" he asked

Ercole grinning sarcastically, "Well, maybe the fact that he's sittin' on it RIGHT NOW!"

Char smirked. "Perhaps there is a reason you were not granted the throne, UNCLE."

Ercole took a step back, but then straightened. "You seem to know much for such a pretty little mamma's boy." He sneered again.

Char shrugged. "Say what you want, but it won't change the circumstances. My father will rule until his death, and then I will rule. You are unfit to be King."

This only infuriated the other man. "I am unfit to be king!?! Who is it that is allowing women to take seats in his council? Surely not I, for I am not on the throne, but your father, allowing WOMEN, creatures of flight and fancy, to take part in decision making! What sort of logic is that?"

Char shook his head. "Your ideals are so rigid I feel sorry for you. You'll never get anywhere with them."

In the bushes, Lana stirred.

Footsteps reached the men's ears. Kes barreled up the street, nearly tripping over Lana. "What," she wheezed, "in th' gods' names gasp is gasp. goin' on here?' She stared at the men. "Ercole? Why've ye got your knife out? And why's th' Lady in th' bushes?"

Char raised an eyebrow at Ercole, who scowled at him.

"I'll be back little pretty man, and I'll make sure I get you when you least expect it!" he scowled, fading into the bushes.

Char stood, facing a bewildered Kes.

Lana woke and looked around. "You- what're we all doing in the bushes?" she asked, and fell promptly back asleep.

Kes gaped at Char. "What was that?" She wrapped a hand around her knife, just in case Ercole was still near. Da won't be happy. He trusted Ercole.