Big Bang Fic: The Red Leather Trousers Escapade (16/17)
Title: The Red Leather Trousers Escapade (16/17)
Author: wingedflight21
Rating: K+
Word Count: ~24K
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia do not, never have, and most likely never will belong to me.
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Occurs in an AU of The Silver Chair.
Author's Notes: A huge thanks to snitchnipped, rthstewart, and especially accidentalsquid as well as anyone else who helped me through these last few months and numerous chapters.
Summary: An assassination attempt gone wrong sends Jill and Eustace off to solve the mystery behind the attacks, all while playing dead. SCAUverse.
-X-
Chapter Fifteen
-X-
“I think you’re jumping to conclusions.”
Jill let out a shaky laugh. “Jumping to conclusions? Eustace - they’re right here!”
“Anyone could have used them,” Eustace responded. He was trying to keep a level head, trying to reason things out, but it was so hard when Jill was waving one of the little black pouches in his face. “Put - put that down. Let’s think this through.”
“What is there to think?”
“Well.” He took a breath, ran a hand through his hair. “If we found the pouches so easily, anyone else might have. And there’s a chance others use the same sort of pouches.”
“I’ve never seen pouches like this used by anyone, before. Eustace, if it’s him -”
He turned away from her, pacing across the room. “But why should it be? The ambassador travelled with us - we know him - his father saved Caspian’s life in battle.”
Setev had leapt up onto the desk, head turning back and forth as he followed the conversation. “Did big man do something wrong, Lady Jill?”
Jill’s breath caught and Eustace hurried towards him. “The big man is the ambassador?”
“Of course,” Setev responded, “Ambassador is big man. Large and human, he is. Is he the one you are looking for?”
“Not quite -” Jill started, but Eustace interrupted, “Setev, where is he right now?”
“In the court room right now, he is. Setev saw him there myself. Making long talks with Haluans and other Narnians, he is. Big talks and handshakes.”
“They’re negotiating?” Jill interpreted.
“Negotiating after our deaths?” Eustace repeated, “It’s only been, oh, three days? That’s just rude.”
-X-
The patio that Setev lead them to was screened by a hedge of plants, blocking the view from anyone on one of the paths that led between the various buildings of the palace grounds. Even better, it was situated beside one of the windows to the negotiations room, where both Eustace and Jill could crouch down and listen without fear of being seen.
“This is ridiculous,” Eustace grumbled as he settled down on his knees, “I’d known security in Halua is not such an issue as it is in Narnia, but anyone could come listen in to these negotiations.”
“It isn’t as though Haluans have much need for security of these types of matters,” Jill countered awkwardly. “That is - I don’t think they’ve done anything so serious as these trade negotiations in decades.”
Eustace had to admit that Jill was right, even if it still irked him. Besides, these shortcomings were the only thing allowing the two of them to listen in and assess the situation.
“We have discussed all possibilities of trade between our two countries for weeks now,” Akili Konolik was saying, “Ambassador, what other options could there be?”
It could only have been Ambassador Glozelle who answered, his voice low yet still able to carry across the room and out the window. “These past three days I have had much time to contemplate,” he said solemnly, “And I believe I have come up with a solution that may suit all parties best.”
“Do tell,” Konolik said cooly.
“Akilis, Akinua,” the ambassador paused, “Narnia is known to have some of the fastest ships of the Eastern Ocean. We could allow the use of them for transportation of your goods for trade so long as Narnia establishes a base in your ports.”
Konolik was skeptical when he responded, “And what would such a base entail?”
“Narnia sets the tariffs and receives a portion of the money generated. In return, the Haluan port gains the business of Narnian merchants and their goods. I, myself, would sit at the head of the Narnian commission for this plan.”
Eustace rocked back on his heels. “That doesn’t even make sense.” He resisted the urge to pull himself up, to look over the ledge of the window. “How does he expect them to even fall for that?”
But one of the other Haluan Akilis had spoken up. “And in exchange, we would receive guidance and ships?”
“I don’t understand,” Jill whispered, “Narnia gains control of the country in exchange for a few ships?”
“Essentially,” Eustace responded, glowering.
A higher-pitched voice rang out. “It may not be the ideal solution but I believe it is a better plan than the other options we have been discussing. If I may, Akinua, I recommend considering the Ambassador’s suggestion.” It had taken a moment to place the voice but now Eustace knew - it was Akili Lenukah who spoke.
“They’re going to agree,” Jill realized, “After some discussion, but they’re going to agree.”
And with that, his mind was made up. “Over my dead body,” Eustace growled, and then he leapt up and scrambled over the window ledge into the negotiations room.
Jill had yelped behind him, but more immediate was the reaction of the room’s occupants. Shouts of disbelief, even fear, had rung out at his appearance, a majority of those who had been sitting jumping up from their seats. Akili Lenukah had, as the current speaker, been standing; she now fell down into her chair with a hand pressed to her heart. Eustace scanned the room and found the Ambassador frozen in his seat, eyes wide and face white and a hand over his mouth.
“We don’t agree,” Eustace shouted, determined to put an end to this nonsense before it could catch hold. “We do not agree with this plan. Neither should you! This isn’t the best course of action for your country - you say you want out from under Calormen’s thumb but agree to crawling beneath Narnia’s instead? This is ludicrous!”
The room was dead silent. Eustace became aware of someone at his side; it was Jill, reaching a hand out to clasp his own in support.
“We didn’t die,” she said boldly, “Although he wanted us to.”
Glozelle had lowered his hand and now stood shakily to approach them. “You - you are alive. It - it is a miracle!” He lifted his arms as if expecting to embrace them both. “Thank Aslan you are alive!”
“Despite your best efforts, you mean,” Eustace said coldly. He pulled out the black pouch he’d taken with him from the ambassador’s chambers and tossed it on the floor. “You were the one who plotted our assassination because you knew we would oppose your plan.”
Glozelle’s eyes flickered uncertainly between Eustace’s face and the black pouch. “Ridiculous. I fought the assassins, tried to save you!”
“Killed them both to cover your tracks, you mean,” Jill responded, catching on. “Only you didn’t realize there was supposed to be a third assassin, one who’d chickened out but could still point the finger.”
“To Akili Lenukah,” Eustace said.
While those surrounding her took a step away, the guards moved forward as one. Lenukah leapt up from her seat again. “Mad! He’s mad. He has no proof -!”
“You want proof?” Eustace said, and suggested, “If we looked in your ledgers under the date of -”
Lenukah shrieked. And that was when Glozelle made his escape. Charging towards Eustace and Jill, he pushed them out of his way and had climbed out the window before anyone could move to stop him. Jill was right behind him, but she’d just climbed over the ledge when she stopped and let out a disbelieving laugh.
And in through the doors marched Isak and his gang, with the Ambassador in tow.
-X-
“Look, we couldn’t help but overhearing,” Isak whispered to Eustace, once all the commotion had died down and Glozelle and Lenukah had both been removed from the room, “But what was the deal with the ships? Halua has its own ships; why should it require Narnia’s?”
Eustace only had half a mind on the conversation. “Because Haluan ships are too slow to bring pineapples to Narnia. They rot.”
“And why are pineapples so important?”
Eustace blinked up at his friend, caught without an answer. All the negotiations had discussed were the limited trade options of the small island country. “Because - because pineapples are all you have that Narnia could want.”
Akili Nanutoku drew up beside them. “Might I say,” he gushed, pumping Eustace’s free hand enthusiastically, “That I am so thrilled that you are still alive. I had thought the worst when you dove off that cliff, sir. It is truly a miracle.”
Eustace nodded vaguely in thanks, but Isak wasn’t finished yet. “What about merspit? Or pina weave?”
Nanutoku frowned at him. “Merspit?”
“Sorry. The pineapple wine. Wouldn’t that keep?”
“But hats?” Eustace replied skeptically.
“Fabric,” Isak responded promptly.
The pieces had begun to fall into place. “Fabric,” Eustace echoed, “Pina weave is a fabric? Not just for hats? Hasn’t anyone considered this for trade? And the merspit?”
“But no one wants pineapple wine,” Nanutoku protested, “It’s much too common.”
“Not on the continent,” Eustace countered. He pulled his hand from Nanutoku’s grip and held it out to Isak. “My friend, I think you have come upon the beginnings to a real solution to this problem.”
Nanutoku huffed, “Solution from terrorists!” He stomped away to take his complaints to someone with a more willing ear.
Isak rolled his eyes. “Look,” he said to Nanutoku’s back, “We didn’t mean to burn down that barn.”
Jill drew up beside them, Teriko only a step behind. The younger girl was beaming wide. “You are welcome,” she said immediately, and tilted her chin up.
Eustace frowned. “For-?”
“She was the one to insist on following you into the palace grounds,” Isak replied with a laugh. He looked around the room and shrugged. “Easier than expected - you probably didn’t need to worry about the disguises after all.”
The comment was an unwanted reminder. Eustace looked down, unimpressed. “Speaking of,” he said wryly, “I believe it’s time for me to find some new clothes.”
Teriko sighed heavily. “But Eustace,” she protested, “The pair of trousers you wear now work so well!”
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Epilogue|
Author: wingedflight21
Rating: K+
Word Count: ~24K
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia do not, never have, and most likely never will belong to me.
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Occurs in an AU of The Silver Chair.
Author's Notes: A huge thanks to snitchnipped, rthstewart, and especially accidentalsquid as well as anyone else who helped me through these last few months and numerous chapters.
Summary: An assassination attempt gone wrong sends Jill and Eustace off to solve the mystery behind the attacks, all while playing dead. SCAUverse.
-X-
Chapter Fifteen
-X-
“I think you’re jumping to conclusions.”
Jill let out a shaky laugh. “Jumping to conclusions? Eustace - they’re right here!”
“Anyone could have used them,” Eustace responded. He was trying to keep a level head, trying to reason things out, but it was so hard when Jill was waving one of the little black pouches in his face. “Put - put that down. Let’s think this through.”
“What is there to think?”
“Well.” He took a breath, ran a hand through his hair. “If we found the pouches so easily, anyone else might have. And there’s a chance others use the same sort of pouches.”
“I’ve never seen pouches like this used by anyone, before. Eustace, if it’s him -”
He turned away from her, pacing across the room. “But why should it be? The ambassador travelled with us - we know him - his father saved Caspian’s life in battle.”
Setev had leapt up onto the desk, head turning back and forth as he followed the conversation. “Did big man do something wrong, Lady Jill?”
Jill’s breath caught and Eustace hurried towards him. “The big man is the ambassador?”
“Of course,” Setev responded, “Ambassador is big man. Large and human, he is. Is he the one you are looking for?”
“Not quite -” Jill started, but Eustace interrupted, “Setev, where is he right now?”
“In the court room right now, he is. Setev saw him there myself. Making long talks with Haluans and other Narnians, he is. Big talks and handshakes.”
“They’re negotiating?” Jill interpreted.
“Negotiating after our deaths?” Eustace repeated, “It’s only been, oh, three days? That’s just rude.”
-X-
The patio that Setev lead them to was screened by a hedge of plants, blocking the view from anyone on one of the paths that led between the various buildings of the palace grounds. Even better, it was situated beside one of the windows to the negotiations room, where both Eustace and Jill could crouch down and listen without fear of being seen.
“This is ridiculous,” Eustace grumbled as he settled down on his knees, “I’d known security in Halua is not such an issue as it is in Narnia, but anyone could come listen in to these negotiations.”
“It isn’t as though Haluans have much need for security of these types of matters,” Jill countered awkwardly. “That is - I don’t think they’ve done anything so serious as these trade negotiations in decades.”
Eustace had to admit that Jill was right, even if it still irked him. Besides, these shortcomings were the only thing allowing the two of them to listen in and assess the situation.
“We have discussed all possibilities of trade between our two countries for weeks now,” Akili Konolik was saying, “Ambassador, what other options could there be?”
It could only have been Ambassador Glozelle who answered, his voice low yet still able to carry across the room and out the window. “These past three days I have had much time to contemplate,” he said solemnly, “And I believe I have come up with a solution that may suit all parties best.”
“Do tell,” Konolik said cooly.
“Akilis, Akinua,” the ambassador paused, “Narnia is known to have some of the fastest ships of the Eastern Ocean. We could allow the use of them for transportation of your goods for trade so long as Narnia establishes a base in your ports.”
Konolik was skeptical when he responded, “And what would such a base entail?”
“Narnia sets the tariffs and receives a portion of the money generated. In return, the Haluan port gains the business of Narnian merchants and their goods. I, myself, would sit at the head of the Narnian commission for this plan.”
Eustace rocked back on his heels. “That doesn’t even make sense.” He resisted the urge to pull himself up, to look over the ledge of the window. “How does he expect them to even fall for that?”
But one of the other Haluan Akilis had spoken up. “And in exchange, we would receive guidance and ships?”
“I don’t understand,” Jill whispered, “Narnia gains control of the country in exchange for a few ships?”
“Essentially,” Eustace responded, glowering.
A higher-pitched voice rang out. “It may not be the ideal solution but I believe it is a better plan than the other options we have been discussing. If I may, Akinua, I recommend considering the Ambassador’s suggestion.” It had taken a moment to place the voice but now Eustace knew - it was Akili Lenukah who spoke.
“They’re going to agree,” Jill realized, “After some discussion, but they’re going to agree.”
And with that, his mind was made up. “Over my dead body,” Eustace growled, and then he leapt up and scrambled over the window ledge into the negotiations room.
Jill had yelped behind him, but more immediate was the reaction of the room’s occupants. Shouts of disbelief, even fear, had rung out at his appearance, a majority of those who had been sitting jumping up from their seats. Akili Lenukah had, as the current speaker, been standing; she now fell down into her chair with a hand pressed to her heart. Eustace scanned the room and found the Ambassador frozen in his seat, eyes wide and face white and a hand over his mouth.
“We don’t agree,” Eustace shouted, determined to put an end to this nonsense before it could catch hold. “We do not agree with this plan. Neither should you! This isn’t the best course of action for your country - you say you want out from under Calormen’s thumb but agree to crawling beneath Narnia’s instead? This is ludicrous!”
The room was dead silent. Eustace became aware of someone at his side; it was Jill, reaching a hand out to clasp his own in support.
“We didn’t die,” she said boldly, “Although he wanted us to.”
Glozelle had lowered his hand and now stood shakily to approach them. “You - you are alive. It - it is a miracle!” He lifted his arms as if expecting to embrace them both. “Thank Aslan you are alive!”
“Despite your best efforts, you mean,” Eustace said coldly. He pulled out the black pouch he’d taken with him from the ambassador’s chambers and tossed it on the floor. “You were the one who plotted our assassination because you knew we would oppose your plan.”
Glozelle’s eyes flickered uncertainly between Eustace’s face and the black pouch. “Ridiculous. I fought the assassins, tried to save you!”
“Killed them both to cover your tracks, you mean,” Jill responded, catching on. “Only you didn’t realize there was supposed to be a third assassin, one who’d chickened out but could still point the finger.”
“To Akili Lenukah,” Eustace said.
While those surrounding her took a step away, the guards moved forward as one. Lenukah leapt up from her seat again. “Mad! He’s mad. He has no proof -!”
“You want proof?” Eustace said, and suggested, “If we looked in your ledgers under the date of -”
Lenukah shrieked. And that was when Glozelle made his escape. Charging towards Eustace and Jill, he pushed them out of his way and had climbed out the window before anyone could move to stop him. Jill was right behind him, but she’d just climbed over the ledge when she stopped and let out a disbelieving laugh.
And in through the doors marched Isak and his gang, with the Ambassador in tow.
-X-
“Look, we couldn’t help but overhearing,” Isak whispered to Eustace, once all the commotion had died down and Glozelle and Lenukah had both been removed from the room, “But what was the deal with the ships? Halua has its own ships; why should it require Narnia’s?”
Eustace only had half a mind on the conversation. “Because Haluan ships are too slow to bring pineapples to Narnia. They rot.”
“And why are pineapples so important?”
Eustace blinked up at his friend, caught without an answer. All the negotiations had discussed were the limited trade options of the small island country. “Because - because pineapples are all you have that Narnia could want.”
Akili Nanutoku drew up beside them. “Might I say,” he gushed, pumping Eustace’s free hand enthusiastically, “That I am so thrilled that you are still alive. I had thought the worst when you dove off that cliff, sir. It is truly a miracle.”
Eustace nodded vaguely in thanks, but Isak wasn’t finished yet. “What about merspit? Or pina weave?”
Nanutoku frowned at him. “Merspit?”
“Sorry. The pineapple wine. Wouldn’t that keep?”
“But hats?” Eustace replied skeptically.
“Fabric,” Isak responded promptly.
The pieces had begun to fall into place. “Fabric,” Eustace echoed, “Pina weave is a fabric? Not just for hats? Hasn’t anyone considered this for trade? And the merspit?”
“But no one wants pineapple wine,” Nanutoku protested, “It’s much too common.”
“Not on the continent,” Eustace countered. He pulled his hand from Nanutoku’s grip and held it out to Isak. “My friend, I think you have come upon the beginnings to a real solution to this problem.”
Nanutoku huffed, “Solution from terrorists!” He stomped away to take his complaints to someone with a more willing ear.
Isak rolled his eyes. “Look,” he said to Nanutoku’s back, “We didn’t mean to burn down that barn.”
Jill drew up beside them, Teriko only a step behind. The younger girl was beaming wide. “You are welcome,” she said immediately, and tilted her chin up.
Eustace frowned. “For-?”
“She was the one to insist on following you into the palace grounds,” Isak replied with a laugh. He looked around the room and shrugged. “Easier than expected - you probably didn’t need to worry about the disguises after all.”
The comment was an unwanted reminder. Eustace looked down, unimpressed. “Speaking of,” he said wryly, “I believe it’s time for me to find some new clothes.”
Teriko sighed heavily. “But Eustace,” she protested, “The pair of trousers you wear now work so well!”
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Epilogue|