Earth – World of The Misplaced Dungeon.
{Timeline: Early to mid July 2019 – MD just after Ch. 109}
Serena Amoyensis made the long trek from her plane to reclaim her bag, and then to passport control. She smiled politely, careful to keep her mouth closed. She knew from previous experience that her fangs intimidated the small humans.
Serena figured she was lucky that tiger beastfolk had proved a sufficiently popular choice in the UK that the locals weren’t startled by her looks. Even so she noticed that it was the dangerous builds that were having their baggage meticulously searched. They even asked her to empty her cheap storage device. The advance version wasn’t detected. Not surprising as they were using one of Mother’s detectors.
She flicked her jet-black hair over her shoulder, picked up her suitcase and headed out to catch a taxi.
She paid her fare and passed the cabbie a decent tip, grateful that the man had kept his mouth shut and the music low, not that Classic FMs offerings were that bad. She hefted her suitcase and looked up at the impressive façade of the Triplanetary Restaurant. She grinned unashamedly. The damn lions had no shame.
She entered and made her way to the little desk where an attendant stood, she almost winced at the campy fifties scifi décor. The menu with Earth, Parthian and Tarifax cuisine gave the game away. She licked her lips involuntarily.
“Good morning madam, table for one?”
“Yes please, and please tell me the Nordland Medley features genuine Pegasus fillets?”
That earned her a hard look. “Every dish is genuine madam. Please follow me.”
The Triplanetary was surprisingly busy, and most of the diners were wearing city suits. She passed on her message and ordered her meal, and she was unable to resist a bottle of Blue Lagoon’s Elven Wine from Tarifax. There was no way she was going to touch anything brewed by the Drow.
After she had finished her main course and was waiting for her coffee a small man with prominent front teeth and a largish pointed nose made his way to her table.
“I didn’t expect to see you in London Serena. May I join you for a moment?”
Serena smiled and indicated the chair opposite hers, “Nice to see you also Jimmy. You want a coffee?”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
They sat in quiet companionship for a while until the coffee was served, then chatted about inconsequential things. Finally Jimmy stood, removed the rose from the little vase in the centre of the table and handed it to her and left.
Serena looked at the artificial flower in her hand, shook her head and replaced it in its vase. She exchanged a look, equally understanding and exasperated with her waitress. “Men!” she murmured even as she pocketed the disk Jimmy had slipped her into her purse.
“They’re all alike,” agreed her waitress with a smile.
* * *
Serena left the restaurant and boarded the taxi the restaurants doorman had hailed. She got down at Victoria Station and headed in. She detoured via the Ladies.
Once she was private she stored her suitcase in the storage ring the customs people had failed to detect and activated her minor illusion earring. The woman who left the ladies was human and much smaller. She got on the Brighton train and settled down to read several rather legal looking documents.
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Once in Brighton she repeated the conveniences trick and changing the setting of her illusion emerged as a much taller elven woman. She went to pick up her hire car. She stared at the car the woman was offering with horror.
“Where’s the car I ordered. How the hell do you expect me to get in that thing?” Serena glared at the woman, “Get something I can fit in without breaking my neck, or refund my fucking money. Right now.”
Serena stormed away from the desk in a foul temper having made herself the centre of attention and leaving the manager shaken and the rep in tears.
A visit to a second hand car agency netted a two-year-old Range Rover. Serena was glad to confirm that money speaks loudly, wherever on Earth she happened to find herself.
She parked in a quiet residential street in Hove and looked at the row of tall blocks of flats. She sighed and centred herself and selected the previous setting on her personal illusion. Serena got out of her vehicle, once again looking like a small human woman. She walked briskly down a side street and then along the parallel street to the one where she parked.
She ignored the cctv police vehicle parked in front of the block of flats and secure in her disguise she used her key to enter. She took the lift to the third floor idly thinking that in the states it would be the fourth floor. Serena walked to stand in front of 3B, drew in a breath and cast a small cantrip. She pushed open the now open door and hit the two burly figures that were scrambling to their feet with a sleep spell. She smiled relieved when they dropped back into their armchairs.
She found Maddy Fitzwilliam in the lounge staring at the big ruby that was resting on the coffee table. Serena smiled slightly. Maddy was the splitting image of her elven illusionary self who had caused all the commotion at the hire car agency.
“Come on, Maddy snap out of it! You’re his companion. Move!”
Maddy turned her head and regarded Serena with red eyes. “Lucy, what are you doing here? Is something wrong, shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I’m not Lucy. I’m here because the other him is worried about the two of you. He asked Mother to help and here I am. Now get yourself together. Stuff what you don’t want to lose in this storage device. And your core in a bag. Don’t you dare put him in a storage device. C’mon companion, shift your ass.”
“But, how am I supposed to get out past the cops?”
“I have a brooch with a minor illusion (personal) enchantment. When you put it on you’ll look like Mrs Bright. All you have to do is walk out with me. But hurry, we have until the two sleeping beauties have to check in.”
While Maddy was scurrying around packing, Serena visited the kitchen and found a reusable Sainsbury’s shopping bag and placed next to Dave’s core.
Maddy appeared again and almost panting said, “I’m ready.”
“Good. Now put Dave in the bag. I’m not touching him, he would find it at best uncomfortable.”
Maddy blinked, then jerked into motion. She lifted Dave carefully, pushed a pillow into the bag and placed him on it. Serena pinned the brooch on Maddy’s blouse.
Two small human women, one middle-aged, walked out of the apartment and took the lift to the lobby. Chatting about nothing they left the block of flats and walked down the street, taking the cross street to reach their vehicle.
* * *
Sixteen minutes after they had driven away two police officers left the van and hurried into the block of flats.
* * *
Serena parked in a lay-by and pointed at a derelict looking timber and stucco inn standing a bit back from the crossroad. To one side was a big overgrown parking lot and then a small neat cottage.
“The two buildings are yours to do with as you will. Andy on Parthia provided the gold. He was also the one who suggested the inn. The cottage is a bonus given how desperate the owners were to offload a listed building that was falling into ruin.”
Serena handed Maddy a folder. “Here, this contains all the documentation you’ll need. There are also papers if you want to vanish. An alternative identity. Whatever the two of you decide Mycroft can see to the documentation and records.
“Mother asked me to remind you owe her a favour that might or might not be called in.”
Maddy looked at the tiger woman and worked her mouth but said nothing.
“I suggest we put Dave in the wine cellar of the inn. It is still safe to enter the ground floor and the cellar. The other two floors are not safe. Or you could take him into the cottage, but it has no cellars.”
Maddy got out of the range rover, she clutched the bag containing Dave’s core to her chest. A bit hesitantly she crossed the road and walked towards the derelict inn.
“Andy, Dave’s alternate self suggested you contact your Gran for help with the inn.”
Maddy stopped and looked back at Serena. “That’s a real good idea. She loved managing that B&B...” Then she turned and made her way to the inn.
The two women made their careful way to the cellars, the only light coming from the torch Serena produced. Once placed in the middle of the wine cellar Dave’s core started flickering as bands of luminous colour started crawling across the flawless ruby that was the core.
Serena grinned when the feeling of a dungeon’s domain enveloped her. Maddy relaxed and almost collapsed from the relief.