Fables #42

A limo waits outside the Woodlands Building. Voices speaking in Arabic come from within, sounding none too pleased that there are none out to greet them.

Prince Charming spent the night in one of the back rooms so he could avoid the line of aggrieved Fabletown citizens waiting outside in the hall. Beauty reminds him that he'll still have to see them, one by one, each and every day for as long as they keep coming. With a groan, he tells her to let the first "assassin" in. Then, from utilities needing repair, to late funds, to the whole glamours for all business, the mayor prince listens to each and every complaint, making assurances that they will all be addressed soon.

Meanwhile, the limo continues to sit outside, as the resident within tells his accompanying passengers that he refuses to step outside until someone comes to greet them. Only a peasant would walk up to the door and knock. Flycatcher was watching from the lobby, telling Grimble "they're still out there". Grimble thinks it's just Mundies having engine trouble waiting for a tow truck, but he tells Fly to go out and check on them if he's so curious. Red Riding Hood steps off the elevator with a basket of lunch she made for Boy Blue. Grimble hands her the keys, and she makes way to the dungeon. Fly still isn't sure she's the real one, even if Kay says she is. Well, if his buddy Boy Blue can be brave enough to go the Homelands and rescue her, then he can at least go out and see who the folks in the limo are. As soon as he tries to look in through the tinted windows, the door opens, and a large man steps out. Hakim, the most loyal servant to his majesty Sinbad. Sinbad and his entire entourage, including his slaves and harem, piled out of the limo. The vizier, Yusuf, tries to communicate with Flycatcher, to say that Mowgli, which he refers to in English as "Jungle Girl", invited them to Fabletown and was supposed to meet them there, but the language barrier prevents Flycatcher from understanding. Sinbad decides to just head inside to find someone in charge.

Red shares her difficulty adapting with Boy Blue. While some are kind enough towards her, most of the Fables here look at her with apprehension or downright hate. She still reminds them of Baba Yaga, the witch who copied her form. Blue tells her to give people time to get to know the real her, which he comments he didn't really know her, either. She apologizes for not being the Red Riding Hood he knew. He tells her it wasn't her fault, that he'll get over it. She really just misses her cottage in the woods, where often years would pass without anyone bothering her.

The lobby is packed with the Arabian Fable refugees, as Sinbad's continues attempts at communication, though his English is severely lacking. Jungle girl, Prince Charming guesses, must refer to Mowgli. Meaning these were the Fables from Baghdad whom he was supposed to pick up from the airport, but he forgot due to having so much on his plate already. For now, he tells Beauty to get the keys to the best VIP guest room currently available.
The room isn't as big as Sinbad's vizier had hoped, but if it's the biggest they got, he insists it be given to Sinbad. He asks for more rooms, for himself, the guards, and for the slaves. Beauty and Charming took notice of that last word. Charming angrily tells Sinbad that they don't allow slavers in Fabletown. Not understanding his angry words, Sinbad remarks that these infidels are truly insane.

At a hotel in London, Mowgli learns that Bigby checked out nine months ago. At least he was closer to him than before. Mowgli calls the Business Office for an update. He learns of the trouble with the Arabian Fables, who he spent 6 months to negotiate the meeting. He tells Charming that because the Adversary has advanced onto the Arabian realms, more and more refugees are pouring into Baghdad, which is connected to their world somehow.

Prince Charming, Beauty, and Beast sit around the mayor's desk, exhausted after their ordeal with Sinbad. Beauty was able to calm down everyone by gently shushing them and pushing them all into the room, but that won't last. Charming insists that keeping slaves won't be tolerated, even though Beauty points out there was nothing against it in the Fabletown charter. But that's only because it's not something that came up before now. Even Hobbes, Charming's goblin butler, was paid better than he was. What they needed now was someone who could speak their language to explain things to them. Someone who can be smooth and diplomatic. Looking through the records, Beauty finds the perfect person, though she warns Prince Charming he won't be happy about who it is.

In the special VIP room, Sinbad calms his loyal bodyguard Hakin down. No stranger to meeting strangers in strange worlds, Sinbad has faith they can find a way to talk to the one called Prince Charming. He mentions that it may be time to unseal their friend for help. A knock on the door interrupts them. When Hakim answers, King Cole strolls in, speaking to Sinbad in fluent Arabic, introducing himself as a king of a far-off land who was run out by the Adversary. He then asks Sinbad if he'd like to get down to business.

It's been a long day, and the night goes on. Beauty and Prince Charming work late in the office. He starts saying how he made a mistake in moving his desk so close to her. Her scent, her eyes, the curve of her lip has been on his mind a lot lately. She tells him she needs to get to bed, but before she can go, he grabs her and kisses her.