Edmund and Mahmoud

Maggie could see the outline of a couple of men walking toward her. Maggie made a quick decision. Up to now, she had used the techniques that were her strengths - avoiding detection, silent observation, and eavesdropping - to learn much, but had still not found the pink jar. She decided that sole reliance on stealth would not work now. Time was no longer on her side. Belboz was one known competitor for the pink jar, even if he did not know its exact form. And she doubted that the dragon had a succession plan. The caverns could be looted with nobody in charge. Or there could be a fight for control. She would have to deception, intrigue, and scattered bits of knowledge to get the jar.

Her Majesty Secret Service had of course trained her in the art of imposture. She had been evaluated as 'adequate'. The art of lying did not come easy to her. But she knew the three basic rules.

1. Do not lie any more than needed to do the job. Too many lies mean too many questions get asked.
2. As far as possible, tell the other person what he or she wants to hear, or at least tell them something in a way he or she wants to hear it.
3. As far as possible, take control of the conversation. The first sentence is the one that steers the topic. Don't let the other person start asking questions.

She also knew that she did have some advantages. She was a plain woman who was no longer young. Women like her were ignored and underestimated. While she did not lie well, she could chatter and betray little, and she usually got away with it. She also suspected that there was a large turnover in servants. Sure, the dragon preferred pretty young things and men who could handle a sword, but there were others, men, women, and children, who would be pressed into the dragon's service for other tasks. So her story that she was a new servant was plausible. For all she knew, that may have been her fate had Fred not intervened.

She also knew how to behave. Unlike many of the Aqualarian well-born, she would have no trouble passing as a humble spinster, for that is what she was. Never give orders. Steer the conversation to where it needed to go, but use other methods.

She also knew some scattered pieces of information from listening and observing during previous visits. Stratus was someone whose word carried a great deal of weight with the fighting men. Amongst the dragon's servants, there was a dispute between the mages and scholars and the warriors. The dragon had kept the security around the cave entrances fairly loose. The warrior faction thought that the caves were too open. The mages liked to come and go as they please. The dragon had sided with the mages for reasons that were not clear. So the caves remained somewhat open. How could she have gotten in otherwise?

She turned toward the figures coming toward her and addressed them.

"I am glad to see you! Is Stratus coming?"

One of the men replied, "Not yet. What the hell is going on? Where is Ursula?"

"Oh, I am Maggie. I am new here. I heard the ruckus from the kitchen and came here to see if I could help. Somebody tried to assassinate the dragon. It doesn't look good. The air is tainted - I think that you are going to need a mask. Let me help."

"Assassination?" The man coughed. "Crap. Maggie, you gotta point about the masks. Get them made." Maggie quickly fashioned a mask with some mint and lemon in them for the first man. After this was done the man asked about what happened. The attention of both men was focused on Ursula. Maggie noticed that first man was in his early middle age, blond, thin but muscular with a mustache - from Allaria or near Allaria if she had to make a guess. He did all the talking. He was doing a better job at maintaining eye contact with Ursula than his companion, who was looking a little lower. The second man probably did not have access to the dragon's relaxation room, and Ursula's masseuse uniform and what it did not cover attracted his attention. He was young, dark, and stocky, and appeared to be a bit shy. It was harder to determine where he was from. Possibly from Hespan or from the border principalities. If so, he had come from a long way.

The man with the mustache spoke to Ursula as Maggie was adjusting the mask of his companion. "Miss Ursula, this Maggie said 'tried to assassinate'. Where is His Excellency?"

Ursula said, "Edmund, Maggie was afraid to say it. The Master lies at the bottom of the pool with his murderer."

"Whoa! How?"

Ursula started to cry. Maggie said, "Sir, Ursula is not in great shape. I know that you need to find out facts quickly. That is why I am offering to bring in some help from the kitchen. It think four people should be able to get the Master out of the pool. But go easy on her. Whatever happened was bad. We women don't see this much violence."

"Yeah, I got it, Maggie. Sorry, Miss Ursula." Edmund faced his partner and Maggie, and he lowered his voice. "Here is what we do. Mahmoud, I need you to go get Stratus and bring him here. Be discreet. I don't want this news to get out before he and I have had a chance to talk. Also, be professional. Don't be so obvious in staring at the ladies."

"Sorry, Sir." Mahmoud looked at the ground and left the cavern.

Edmund then addressed Maggie, "And how did you get into this room? Mahmoud or I should have seen you."

"I don't know. I was not thinking - I just heard the commotion and went in. I don't understand it. How did he die so quick? There's gotta to be magic involved or something. I would feel better if we found out quick. Anyway, how can I help? Do you want me to go to the kitchen?"

"Go to the kitchen and get four others. Tell Herb that this is on Stratus's authority. Try to be discreet. Cleanup needed in the dragon's bath. Don't go into more detail. And I want you back quickly."

"Yes, Sir. And thank you, Sir. I am not feeling good, to be honest."

"Keep it together, Maggie. You done good so far. When you get back, you got work to do. Get through that, do what you are told, and you won't get into trouble. Now, go!"

So far so good. Probably. Edmund seemed like a decent man. Or at least a cut above the average soldier - what was he before he came into the dragon's service? She had let Edmund assume that she entered by the main door and not the sluice. He may have had some doubts as to how she got past the door, but Edmund had not pressed the issue - yet. So she would have to find Herb, and evade or explain why nobody had seen her working in the kitchen yet, and come back. She knew where the kitchen was. It was nearby. And she still had her dress and boots near the mouth of the sluice. If she was going to get dirty soon hauling the dragon out of the pool, it might be best to leave them be.

At any rate, if she could convince Herb to give her the help, she would do the dirty work of getting the dragon out of the pool while eavesdropping on any conversations.

She would take it from there. She had this in mind: convince the warrior faction that the caves needed to be locked down, and that it would be best for the warriors take over for the time being, purely in the interest of safety from threats from the inside and outside. It should not be too hard to convince them to assert that authority - Edmund might be thinking about the same thing now. She could not be too assertive or too obvious. She would just ask questions, and humbly make suggestions. The warriors would draw their own conclusion. The key would be to cast suspicion on the mages. Her goal was to lock Belboz and his ilk out of the caves, or create resistance if any were already inside. And if she could win the trust of the warriors, and help them take over, then she might be in a position to get them to unwittingly help her in her mission.

1. Maggie goes directly to the kitchen - half dressed.
2. Maggie tries to retrieve her dress and boots before going to the kitchen.
3. Maggie heads for the laundry, hoping to aquire a dress before reaching the kitchen.

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