Fables #47

Night falls in Fort Walder. June tries to visit Rodney in his quarters, but she's turned away by Captain Arturo. She tells the captain that Rodney's upcoming punishment should also be hers as well, as it was his love for her that made him write the letter. Arturo won't hear of it. The situation was grim enough as it was without involving another.

Rodney does get a visitor, Chis wooden brother in arms, Chester, who can't fathom the thought that Rodney would want to be a fleshy meat sack. He is repulsed by the very thought of what "meat" does all day, and can't understand why his brother, why Rodney, would ever want to be such a disgusting thing. Rodney doesn't respond and simply sends him out.

Captain Arturo sits at his desk in the barracks, going over Rodney's exemplary military chronicle with Color Sergeant Lum looking over his shoulder. Rodney's record is unblemished until today. If not for that letter, he'd be recommended for another promotion. Lum asks what letter he meant, since there was no letter from Rodney in the outgoing mail packet. Captain Arturo lights up - that was it, the answer to the problem. There was no letter!

June is visited by Captain Arturo, who brings her along to see Rodney. Rodney's surprised to see both of them, but before he can ask what's going on, Arturo speaks up. There's a rumor that someone wrote a treasonous letter to their sacred father. No one in Fort Walder would actually do something like that, but he needed Rodney to take June and go see their father in person, to assure him that no such missive exists. Naturally, while they were there, if they saw fit to ask Geppetto what might be in such a letter, they'd be allowed to ask him in person. Rodney and June could hardly believe it, June tells the captain if she knew how to do it properly, she'd kiss him. Which would be silly, as the captain is just sending them on a vital and dangerous mission, that's all.

The next day, the two wooden lovers leave the fort and travel tirelessly across the desert with a convoy, keeping an eye out for Arabian raiders along the way. Soon they reach the port, and a ship takes them across the sea. With their status as official dignitaries, Rodney and June pass through many gates to different worlds. Worlds that are already conquered have kings who insist on decorating them with honors just for their presence. The two even ride upon a great green dragon, sitting inside a cabin on its back as June looks at all the medals and gifts they've been given, with Rodney enjoying the books they're given best. As they ride white stallions through the forest, a beastly large bear attacks them, but Rodney protects June with his swordsmanship and slices the monster in two.

After months of travel, they reach the Imperial City of the Empire! But their destination lied a couple miles aways, tucked deep into the sacred grove, where a lonely cottage stood. Geppetto was standing outside when they arrived. He had received a missive from the captain that they had something very important to ask him, so he invites them to ask. They explain how they have fallen in love with each other and want to become humans so they can properly court, and marry, and -- Geppetto stops them. He gets it, he isn't old enough to have forgotten how relations work. He tells them that such magic doesn't come without a price. Sometimes a terrible price. While he gets some rest, he asks them to think on whether or not they are prepared to pay it.
Tomorrow Rodney and June reach a decision, so Geppetto gives them the Blue Fairy elixir, and for the first time, their bodies are true flesh and blood. In the weeks that followed, many new and wonderful changes came to their relationship, starting with a wedding ordained by the great Emperor himself. That night, they took pleasure with each other in bed. A few days pass, before June starts to feel different. She believes she's pregnant. Rodney has a panic trying to remember what to do. Boil things? June is calm and tells him that comes later.

Then came the time to start paying for the gift Geppetto gave them. the Snow Queen visits them and gives them a new assignment. They were to perform a valuable service for the empire. That's when the training began. They were to continue to live as a happy couple, but not in the Empire or any of the conquered Homelands. Rodney and June learn how the motor car works and how to drive, as well as the value of the dollar, how many nickels in a dime, and other mundane knowledge they might need. For their new home would be the mundane world, specifically an apartment in New York City, just a block from Fabletown. From there, they would spy on their neighbors the Fables.

Rodney finds a job as a butcher in an Italian deli, while June plays the part of housewife, keeping the home clean and preparing meals. She also records each daily Fabletown report in a special journal, the sends her words to a duplicate journal in the Homelands. A few times, words will appear in her journal that she didn't write. An order to be carried out. June hates those words. The last time, Rodney went out to take care of it, and he didn't come home until late, with his hands covered in blood. But they do every terrible deed they are told, as they are still loyal to the empire.

Sometimes, late at night June will be wide awake in their bed, worried about how much they should tell their child. Should they tell her the truth about her heritage? What mommy and daddy really do? Or can they simply raise her as a happy, spoiled American child? June never cried when she was wood. She thinks about how she misses not being able to cry.