Just around the corner from the tavern known as the Snuggly Duckling, Kristoff Lange stopped and turned to look at his two new companions. This crazy ginger girl Merida could probably take care of herself if she weren't too sure she could take care of herself. And this Jack kid-Kristoff had been around magic from childhood and knew how to recognize it, and this kid definitely had it. He looked and acted no more than eighteen, but he had some of the same depth in his eyes as Kristoff's Grand Pabby-less wisdom and purpose perhaps, but it was the same look of having seen much of the world, far more than his seeming youth could have shown him. Yes, he clearly had some sort of magic, something to do with that staff he carried, but he didn't seem to want it to be known so Kristoff was not going to bring it up.
Still, he worried about how these two would handle themselves in here. The others-Anna and her sister and that fiancé of hers who didn't seem to like him for some reason-had been talked out of coming in with him without too much trouble. Well, except for Anna, who only agreed to stay put when her beloved Hans asked her to. But Merida and Jack had insisted on going with him.
"Okay, you two. When we get in there, don't talk, don't make eye contact with anyone, just don't do anything that will draw attention to yourself." When they looked at him skeptically, he said more urgently, "Listen, I know it looks like a friendly stop on the road, but it's supposed to look that way so they don't have soldiers barging in and inspecting all the time. This place is pretty rough. Most of the people here bandits. Or worse."
"And we're supposed to trust a couple of thugs from here, are we?" Merida still had her usual bravado, but now it was looking a bit forced.
Jack, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned as ever. Just how powerful was this kid? He observed calmly, "Hey, we need people who know breaking and entering." He eyed Kristoff quizzically. "I gotta ask though: just how is it that you're so familiar with a place like this?"
Kristoff met his gaze evenly. "When you travel on your own in these mountains as much as I do, you've got to stay on good terms with the locals."
Jack and Merida exchanged glances. With Kristoff's hulking build, he was sure to be quite capable of holding his own in a fight. But he preferred to avoid having to resort to that. Was he just smart, or was violence simply not in his nature? Either way, he gained a bit of respect from both them. They each silently resolved to listen to him and let him take the lead in this Snuggly Duckling.
Of course, as they had often told each other as kids, all rules were made to be broken.