As with most establishments within the inner city of Dreduor, the Chamberlain tried very hard to be something it was not. While its owners meant well and tried to keep the inn as tidy and on top of its upkeep as possible, the patrons cared not for manners or respect for others' property. It was not to say the Chamberlain was a pissing hole, but there were some who called it the Chamber Pot, and for good reason.

Regardless, the food was fresh and hot and the ale free flowing and no one ever gave them or anyone else from the Den issue when they visited, and for that, the Chamberlain received their constant patronage.

That evening was no different than any other, and as the sun began to slowly set over the city, the candles inside were gradually lit to give its interior a warm, welcoming glow. No one greeted them as they made their way to a corner booth in the back of the common room, but they didn't expect anyone to either. They would establish their presence, so to speak, assess the situation around them, and when they were ready for food or drink they would request it from the bartender in person.

That night, Ress would be the one on point as it was Maize who was specifically the purpose of their meeting. Of course, there was the chance someone would see him within the inn and when he sat at a table with a cloaked companion or however Forge wanted to show up, word would get back to Celese which would only solidify her assumptions. It would be Maize who would need to rectify that situation, which would begin once Forge arrived with his agenda.

The man in question arrived almost at the same time they did.

"So much for sunset," Maize murmured when Ress sat down with their pints of ale, nodding towards the inn's entrance where Forge stood. Both of their gazes drifted to the man who had entered. No longer in his finer clothing but dressed in more common garb. Maize had to credit him for that forethought.

Forge noticed them a moment later and made his way towards their table. "I see you've started without me," he mused, noticing the two pints of ale on the table.

"You also said sunset," Ress reminded him, taking a seat, almost protectively, next to Maize. She knew he meant nothing by it— he was more than aware she could handle herself— but it almost seemed like he was trying to make sure Forge knew that she was his just as he was hers and there was nothing he could do to change that.

"I did, and yet here we are— all fashionably early." Forge smiled. "A pleasure to see you again, Maize."

"We're beyond pleasantries," she said, sitting straighter in her seat. "You said we'd meet and you'd tell us about the mission—"

"I said I'd tell you about the mission."

"And I told you there's no me without us."

Forge sighed dramatically. "Fine, if you're going to insist."

"I do."

He smirked and looked between the two of them. "Assuming you're here to accept the mission."

"Assuming you're going to tell us what we need to know," Ress chimed. "And give us the gold as promised."

"Indeed." He reached into the depths of his cloak and produced a sack that clanked on the table when he dropped it, and a piece of paper that looked like a shopping list. "This should be more than enough to begin."

Maize took the paper and read it over. It was no more than a list of some of Dreduor's top-scale merchants and shops. Seamstress, shoemakers, cosmetics, stylist. "Who's going to a ball?" she mused.

"You are."

Maize looked up to see Forge's amused stare.

"Remembrance Day is the celebration of the life of Queen Lusciana, and on that day the gates of the palace are open to all who can enter."

"Yes, and you said you wanted me to infiltrate the palace and find this Luscinana's Legacy."

"Correct. You, however, are going to already be at the palace, greeting those guests while you discover all you can about the Legacy before you remove it, and yourself, from the palace."

"You said you needed three weeks—" Ress reminded him.

But Forge cut him off. "To prepare, correct. And that includes getting Maize the supplies and backstory she needs to arrive at the palace as a courtier just prior to the celebration." He pointed at the sack of gold on the table. "That was supposed to be more than enough to purchase what you need on that list, but I'm afraid I didn't take into account having to ready another body."

"We'll make due," Mazie informed him as she picked up her pint, ignoring the glare Ress shot her.

"Then I'll have the paperwork prepared for you in time for your arrival next week."

"Next week?" Maize sputtered on her ale.

"Next week," Forge confirmed, looking almost pleased with himself. "Like I said we need to get you into the palace before Remembrance Day with as little suspicion as possible."

"But the king will have more than enough courtiers," Ress observed. "Adding one more would already be suspicious enough."

"If she was going to be a courtier to the king."

Both Maize and Ress shared a questioning look.

Forge leaned in wearing a conspirator's grin. "With Remembrance Day comes the arrival of Prince Laris."

Ress allowed a breath to whistle through his teeth while Maize frowned. The estranged Prince was said to be away at some nondescript boarding school for an undetermined amount of time. The king and Laris were as close as one could expect enemies to be while within the same family, for it was Laris the king blamed for Lusciana's death.

The prince hadn't been to Dreduor since the queen died and he was expelled, so to have him back, especially during the time of the exhibition of the Legacy— the security and heightened tension within the palace was going to be far worse than Maize calculated. She hated to admit that Forge had the right of this— in order for her to infiltrate the palace to find this unknown artifact, she would already need to be in there to begin the research before time ticked away.

"Do I sense hesitation?" Forge mused. "My sources told me you were the best, but if I have directed my confidence to the wrong person—"

He reached for the bag of gold as if he was going to pick it up while he stood, and Maize whipped her hand out, forcing his down to stop him.

"Your sources should have done more research," she said pointedly. "And I know you're not going anywhere without me because you've already taken too much of a chance coming here with this gold and telling me your plans. So either you're overconfident, overly stupid, or—"

"What about me?" Ress asked.

Forge scowled when he spoke and Maize glared at the lessor advisor. "Ress is coming with me, lest you forget. I told you— we are in this together."

"How could I forget? You've reminded me throughout every conversation we've had." Forget finally took his hand away from the sack of gold. "But as I said, he is not the one my sources want— you are."

"And I told you—"

"Yes, I know. Which is why I spent the last day trying to decide what to do with him."

"Please stop talking about me like I'm not sitting right here," Ress murmured into his ale.

Maize placed a reassuring hand on his thigh beneath the table, showing him she'd never forget he was there despite what was happening before them. "And what did you decide?"

Forge just shook his head, the annoyance oozing from him even under the hooded cloak he wore. "Ress will be your footman, assigned to attend you personally, and therefore will be allowed to come and go as he pleases so long as you allow it under your jurisdiction."

"I've never been a footman," Ress countered."

"And she's never been a lady," Forge reminded them.

"Hey," Maize snapped.

"You grew up a farmer's daughter until an unknown catastrophe happened to your family. You escaped to Dreduor with only the clothes on your back until the Denmother took you in under her proverbial paw, fed you, clothed you, and made you one of her own."

The remaining nails of the fingers on the hand resting upon Ress' thigh dug into the skin through his pants, and her partner hissed next to her while she tried to contain her displeasure.

"And you," Forge continued, looking to Ress. "Cast aside by your own family after being found fucking your neighbor like a dog in heat, running away from all you've ever known because your own blood couldn't accept you for who you wanted to be."

He tensed next to her, underneath her grasp. Defensive of her love, she gritted her teeth together, pulling back her lips in as much of a snarl as humanly possible while trying to remain inconspicuous beneath a cloak.

"And the two of you have clung to each other ever since as if your lives depended on it. Maybe they do. So you see, I do know about you. Both of you. And I know what you were, what you are, and what you will become, especially if you complete this task as the task demands."

"And if we don't?" she growled.

"Well," Forge said as he sat back, palms spread open in front of him, "What else do you have to lose?"

Maize could compile a list for him, but she didn't have the time. "How long until we have to give you an answer?"

Forge looked out towards the dirty window to where the light from the setting sun had long dissipated to a starless night. "Now. I can't be here forever. I wouldn't want anyone to suspect I could possibly be up to anything illegal."

"Of course not," she said, glaring. "Leave that up to us."

"We have an agreement then?"

Once again, Maize looked to Ress, as if her partner would have the answers to all her questions written across his face. Unfortunately, he seemed as uncertain as she was. And again, her attention drifted to the pouch of coins resting on the table between them. If the count was what Forge had previously proposed, they'd be able to purchase the supplies they needed and still sock away a hefty amount into their savings.

They could complete this one last mission and then finally be on their way.

"If you're having second thoughts—" Lawson Forge began, but the sound of jingling coins cut him off.

"Where will we meet you?" Ress asked, the pouch tight in his hand. Maize frowned and made a mental note to scold him later. For the moment, the decision was made, and whether she agreed or not, there was no going back.

The coin offered was the coin taken.

Forge seemed overly pleased and stood. "The alley along the canal, beneath the Central Street bridge." He cast a knowing glance to Maize before he said, "so long as you don't blow it up within the next week."

She gave him an unamused scowl as he turned from the table and walked out of the Chamberlain.

Ress and Maize both watched him leave before departing themselves, and neither said a word as they made their way back to the Den's residential building, as though neither wanted to draw attention to the exorbitant amount of money that now remained within their possession.