"You had better have a good reason for disturbing our game" a large man growled. Elsa stepped forward from behind her sister. She had a feeling that this would blow apart very fast.
"Allan, please do me a favor and take my family outside, now." Elsa coolly but sternly asked the lizard. Allan gave a nod and took Rosetta and a reluctant Anna out of the saloon.
"I apologize for my sister's behavior; I ask a favor of you." The queen said politely, nt wanting to get on their bad side.
"Favor, eh? Let's hear it" A skinnier man replied.
"I need the Jewel of Pegasus" Elsa, concluded, not wanting to beat around the bush. The three men eyed her intently.
"Are you saying you wish to challenge us in a game of poker for it? Or are you saying you want a trade?" The third gambler inquired.
"Whichever is more suitable to you?" Elsa said thinking that flexibility would be the key.
"Well, we have all the money we could ever crave…we would gladly make a trade for something of a different nature." The large man said with a sinister grin.
"What do you have in mind" Elsa asked cautiously.
"Your sister will suffice" The skinny man replied to the queen's horror.
"I would be happy to give you the kingdom of a-"she was cut off by the large man slamming his fist into the table, causing her to jump.
"No! We don't want anything but the girl. You could use her for an entry fee in a game of poker that way you can have a chance to win the jewel without losing your spare" The third man said. For Elsa, this was the last straw. To offend her is one thing, but she refused to let these men insult her sister.
"I don't care who you are or think you are, you WILL NOT treat my sister like she is property! You insult my sister by calling her a spare and you insult me by thinking that I would gamble her away for your worthless jewel." Elsa snarled. The three men stood up and approached her. She was not even remotely intimidated. After dealing with Anthrax, she was positive that these three stooges would be a cake walk.
"Your sister had the audacity to come into our bar and interrupt our match. You have the nerve to defend her even though her pathetic soul pales in comparison to the value of that jewel. That jewel is worth more than your puny kingdom." The large man spat in Elsa's face. The queen knew this was escalating. Elsa was wracking her brain to think of a way of calming every one down while still defending her sister. The latter was her highest priority.
"That gem may be worth more than my kingdom. But it pales in comparison to even a blind beggar. All life is precious. If you cannot acknowledge that fact, then you have my pity. But we are rational and intelligent people, let us conduct ourselves as such and make out a peaceful way of solving our disagreements. Surely, professional business men such as you three gentlemen see the futility of throwing insults and accusations at one another." The queen soothed gently.
"you seem to think we are on equal terms, you are nothing, your sister is nothing, that orphan brat you harbor is nothing-" he was cut off by Elsa.
"I am trying my best to keep my temper. Yet you refuse to stop attacking my family. Now you offend my daughter? This is senseless, enough hostility. Let us negotiate peacefully." The queen said fighting her silent urge to smash the man's face in after that insult.
"We don't bargain with sentimental fools like you. We take what we want from soft headed idiots. Give us the princess, and the brat. You can get the jewel if you please. But now you have lost the option to bargain. We are taking them whether you wish to offer them or not." The man growled. With that, nearly fifty thugs attempted to go outside. She created an ice wall to block their path.
"Stay away from my girls you filth." Elsa snarled. The thugs surrounded her. The three men began to laugh evilly.
"Stand back men, we can handle fools like her." the skinny man said with a smile. The minions grinned in understanding and backed away without hesitation.
"We run across arrogant people like you. We deal with them in a…different manner" The third man said gleefully. With that the three men held hands, and they morphed and fused. Elsa was quickly covered by the abominations shadow. In a matter of seconds, the men transformed, and a three headed hydra, was staring the Queen in the eye. Elsa was getting queasy, curtesy of the monster's halitosis. Thinking quickly, Elsa remembered what Allan taught her and summersaulted out of the way of the beast's bone crushing jaws. The hydra's heads took turns snapping at her as she made her way out of the bar. The creature followed her, smashing the walls.
"Rosetta, Anna, run" Allan ordered while drawing his sword. He moved in to strike but the monster shot and hit him with beams of energy. The lizard was knocked unconscious. The queen scooped up her fallen ally in her arm, while using the other to shoot a beam of ice to block a second attack. The beam proved too powerful and she rolled out of the way to avoid getting fried. Realizing that her ranged attacks would not be enough, she conjured a sword and shield. She put the lizard down in a safe spot. She used her shield to block more beams and closed in on her enemy. The hydra bit at her with its killer maw but she evaded the strikes and plunged the blade into its chest. The monster roared in pain and swiped at her with its claw. The shield absorbed much of the impact, but she was knocked off of her feet. The beast attempted to swing its head at her like a colossal sledge hammer but she rolled out of the way. She shot several shards at the hydra's eyes, blinding it. She climbed on its neck and slammed the blade into the middle head. The hydra screamed in agony and plummeted to the ground. Elsa was catching her breath as the beast slowly released a death rattle.
"Where am I?" Allan groaned. Elsa sighed in relief. The lizard noticed the hydra and gasped.
"You defeated the hydra? Well done, Elsa" Allan cheered. Elsa went back inside to grab the jewel of Pegasus, it shimmered in the sunlight. The queen frowned.
"I wish that they would have listened to reason. They gave me no choice. They attacked first." Elsa sighed sadly.
"Hey you tried. At least the town is free of those three crooks." Allan said with a smile. Elsa's frown shrunk slightly and the mounted their horses and made their way back to the castle. Meanwhile a cockatoo stood in place of the three men.
'The potion to enhance their hostility and violence failed….Anthrax will not be please" Nigel growled angrily.