Ragabash Tale: 11. A Dog Comes in for the Knight

It was a modest house on a modest street. The only thing that made it special was that, for the moment, it was the place King Albrecht - theoretically ruler of all Garou - was calling home.

Jessie waited nervously in the front room as Important People came and when. Most of them took little notice of her in her ragged denim, other than to turn their noses up in disdain.

She entered the kitchen to find Albrecht - the Alpha of the Silver Fang Tribe - cooking up a skillet full of bacon.

He smiled at her. "I'm making some BLT sandwiches." He chuckled. "I can't find anyone who can get the bacon just right. Want one?"

"So, Jessie," Albrecht began after they were finished. "I've received good reports from Boston about you. The Fae want to make you a knight."

She nodded. "Yes, sir. It's more a honorary knighthood - no oaths are made... but Ah want your wisdom." She hesitated. "And Ah need a favor."

"Wisdom?" Albrecht scratched his chin. "You know, that's the problem with fame and power; people actually think you know something. I can give you my advice for what it's worth."

"The Fae are nice folks, mostly. But they don't really live in our world. It's like they live between somewhere else and here. And... I'm afraid that bein' around them as much as Ah have... Ah'm bein' pulled into that world. Ah don't know if Ah'll be as useful ta Gaia when Ah'm all wrapped up in Dream-stuff."

The Silver Fang nodded slowly. "The Wyrm haunts their Dream just like it haunts our world. The Fianna know more about the Dreaming. You should talk to them."

"Ah'm gonna talk to them tomorrow," Jessie nods. "But Ah wanted ta ask you... to hear it from the Top Wolf, is this okay?"

He reached over and patted her hand. "It's okay. We cannot be pulled permanently into the Dreaming or else we'd have lost the Fianna centuries ago. But be careful."

The Silver Fang frowned. "You're too valuable where you are. Your protection of Lady Andrea has helped make this alliance stay together and given credibility to our people. You're staying in Boston."

She tried to put a brave face on and failed. "Please, sir," she whined softly. "Ah'm a lupus. Ah needs mah pack."

He held up his hand. "I know you do. At the moment, your band has been scattered and incorporated into larger hunting packs. When they're done... I'll send them to Boston."

The Bone Gnawer blushed and her wagging tailed vanished. "Ah do that sometimes."

He put his hands behind his head and stretched. "So... will I be getting an invitation to your knighting?"

She looked worried. "Don't know yet. Still tryin' to figure out the guest list," she said quietly.

It was early in the afternoon and the bar was quiet. At a back table sat David McGunn, also known as David Leaping-Death, Fianna Philodox. He stood to greet her. They shook hands and hugged each other. Jessie sniffed him discreetly.

"Glad to meet you," David said warmly. "All of Boston is a-buzz with the news. Congratulations."

David laughed. "I know that tone of voice. You think it's a royal pain in the ass."

"Oh, that's always a problem with the Sidhe. You have to invite everyone or *someone's* going to be insulted. Have a seat. Are you hungry?"

Her smile faded a little. "Now, ye folks don't mind that a little old Bone Gnawer gets this high honor?"

"Be at peace, Jessie. You didn't win this honor by blood. Well, except the blood of the Wyrm."

"Hey, Ah bled a bit too, ya know." She leaned towards him. "Ah heard ye got knighted a few years back. Tell me, what kind of ceremony did ye come up with?"

Several plates of sandwiches, several glasses of Harp and several hours later Jessie was still listening patiently to the Fianna. God, this tribe could talk.

"... and after the third course we had Fae bards sing about past heroes and heroines. That took another two hours..."

Half an hour later Jessie thanked David and staggered out of the bar. "Ah needs a drink," she said. She rubbed her head and headed for the nearest coffee shop.

Jessie blinked as she entered the queen's freehold. She was used to the freehold at ReiM but the Glamour levels were much higher here. It was just too shiny and that made her nervous. And it was another meeting inside an alpha's territory. That, too, made her nervous.

Faerilith's secretary met her. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Dame Jessie," the boggan said warmly.

"The queen does keep me busy," he replied. He ushered her into a pleasant meeting room. A large plate of hors d'oeuvres sat waiting for them.

"Now, I'm just giving you some of the highlights of some of our recent knightings," he began eagerly. "I have all sorts of plans."

Jessie looked with trepidation at the large binders the fae produced. Maybe not.

He opened up the binders to display all manner of diagrams. His face glowed with possibilities. "Now, Sir Rodney's knighting was a thing to behold. He had a nocker design special silverware..."

"How silly of me. I beg your pardon. But here're diagrams of the ballroom he rented and how it was decorated... and here's his outfit - specially commissioned for the occasion - "

Jessie looked at page after page of dresses, costumes, menus and entertainment programs. She donned her reading glasses and tried to soak it all in, but she was quickly saturated. Ideas from past knightings with formal sit down dinners, formal balls, custom-made party favors, concerts, and dances rolled off the boggan's tongue and overwhelmed her with complexity and cost.

After an hour and a second plate of sandwiches she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "All this fancy stuff is nice but... Ah've got a budget here."

The boggan looked dismayed for a fraction of a second. "Well, I know that you're well paid for your services and live practically cost free. You must have saved up some money..."

"Ummmm, no. Ah've been a-givin' it away." She blinked at him. "There's cubs to feed and cubs to clothe and cubs that need medicine. There's schoolin' with books and papers and old folks who could use a little help."

She gave him a look of astonishment. "Ah'm Garou. We don't expect ta live long enough to have a retirement."

"Has better things ta do with her money than throw a fancy party." She slumped in the chair and crossed her arms. "This is all nice but... it's jest too much."

The boggan closed his books. He sighed. "Well, it is your knighting. It should reflect who you are."

He looked crestfallen. "There is precedent for it. But that really isn't enough for such a high honor. What you did in the woods at Caer Taliesin was so brave, so bold..."

The boggan listened to Jessie's idea and nodded. "A little on the outdoorsy side... but it sounds feasible."

"We'll dress it up with the food." Jessie panted in excitement. "Local specialities. Think about it."

He laughed. "Of course! You're a genius! Just promise me you'll get *some* kind of outfit for the ceremony."

After she left the freehold Jessie dialed her cellphone. She bounced excitedly, waiting for it to be picked up. Finally it stopped ringing and someone picked up.

The lupus smiled radiantly on hearing the voice of her friend, packmate, and lover. "Which would ye prefer? A phone call or a cold nose in the back?"

"A cold nose... that way you're in arm's reach. Gaia, I've missed you. You got your plans set yet for this knighting bit?"

"So what do you think of these pants?" Jessie said as she danced out of the fitting room.

"Disastrous!" Toby proclaimed. "Utterly terrible! They're the wrong color and they don't fit you at all! And I bet that silk just scratches your skin something awful! These are the worst ones yet; frankly I don't know how you can even stand being near them!"

"Yer sure you're not jest saying that because these are the thirteenth pair Ah've tried on?"

"Uhm... I don't know," Toby assumed an air of astonished innocence. "Maybe a pixie?"

Jessie glanced at the clerk. "Ah've think we've done enough damage here." She turned to the woman. "Thank ye kindly. Ye've been very helpful."

After paying for their loot the Fae and Garou picked up their bags and gleefully skipped out of the store. Jessie looked at her watch. "Lordy! The time!"

"Fish? Man, that's what I hate about being in Boston! Nothing to eat but fish! Fish, fish, fish!" Toby licked his lips.

They turned a corner and he pointed excitedly down the street. "Oh look! Hot dogs!"

Jessie grinned. Toby was nothing if not distractable. Which gave her an idea. "We're not that far from the hospital... and Ah've got a dining card."

They entered the hospital like a tidal wave. "HUMOR EMERGENCY! HUMOR EMERGENCY!" they cried. Capering and tossing jokes and jibes back and forth they rolled through the hallways leaving doctors, nurses and patients chuckling, giggling or roaring with laughter in their wake. Always on guard, Lorraine met them outside Andrea's office. They waylaid the sidhe with a storm of puns and left her chortling with glee.

Jessie entered first, proudly waving their shopping bags like a hunter does a trophy head. Toby was just behind, walking on his hands. They found Andrea slumped in her chair trying to face down a mountain of paperwork and losing. Her mouth dropped open. "What are you not doing here?"

"And givin' us a chance to show y'all our collected tastes in clothin'," Jessie said. She shucked off her clothes while Toby started up a color commentary.

"Ladies and Germs, what we have here is a collection of the most foul-looking clothes we could find!"

"They make me look like a chicken. And Ah did not take them from the garbage can as per 'Gnawer custom," Jessie added.

"Now look at this - wonderful shirt-and-tie combination, along with these lovely slacks..."

"... matched perfectly with this fine vest... and to top it off this absolutely mah-velous- dinner jacket... perfect for dining off of!"

She threw the clothes off and produced various articles of denim out of her shopping bag. She plopped them on the already crowded desk. "Now this will be mah new workin' clothes and these mah fancy dinin' duds..."

The doctor nodded as Jessie spun around in her knighting outfit. "That is so not you. I don't like it at all."

"Like 'em?" she paraded about the room naked to the skin. "Only fools can see 'em."

"HUNGER EMERGENCY! HUNGER EMERGENCY!" they called out as they skipped down the hallway.

"PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, JESSIE!" Lorraine called out before they entered the elevator.

"Hmmm, you could do with a little styling," the hairdresser mused as she examined Jessie's mop of hair. "Who normally does your hair?"

"Pet Shop Girl - on Shawmut Ave," Jessie replied brightly. She waved her fingers in the air. "They cuts mah nails too."

"Well Ah used to use 'Eight In One Perfect Coat' 'cause I can get it by the gallon. But Ah just switched a few months ago to 'Earthbath Mango Tango'. Ah like it." She wiggled happily in her chair. "It's all natcheral."

"It seems... not to have done a bad job." The hairdresser stepped back to examine her charge. "Well, there is some older damage, but generally your hair looks heathy. What would you like done?"

"Make me look pretty! Ah'm a-going to a party. But no curlin' irons... just mah own hair. Don't want ta look like no poodle."

The sun was pleasantly warm and had dried the grassy field. Jessie glanced nervously about at the various activities going on in the background. The queen's nocker was at her side as they ran through the final list of preparations.

"We're still shy a few guests," the nocker said as he tapped his clipboard. "But everything else is on track. I'm sorry Albrecht couldn't make it."

She shuffled her feet. "People ta see... things ta kill. Such is a Garou's life."

She looked behind her. Her pack was there arrayed in their various finery. "It's show time, folks."

Trumpets sounded. A herald cried out, "Hear ye, hear ye! Presenting Jessie Smiles-of-Sunshine and her pack, Deep Cold Water.

As per prior arrangement, Jessie walked ahead of her pack between lines of assorted Fae, Garou and guests. They cheered as she walked past. Her hair was styled simply but nicely - in front it was clipped shorter to frame her face while the back and sides were trimmed of their split ends. On her feet were a brand new pair of Birkenstocks. Her loose pants were made of deep red silk. Her top was a dashiki, brightly tie-died in the colors of both Queen Mab and Queen Faerilith. On the back was a copy of the of the Bone Gnawer tribe glyph. On her right shoulder was a patch of a white rat standing on its hind legs as if sniffing the air. Over her heart was a monkey insignia.

Before the stage, her band stopped and formed a semi-circle behind her while she advanced to the stairs. Queen Mab, conservatively dressed, was seated in the guest position on the stage while Queen Faerilith sat regally on a gilded throne.

The combined Glamour made Jessie blink. Faerilith looked down upon her gravely. Then she gave Jessie a wink and motioned her forward. Jessie went up the first few steps and stopped.

The queen rose. "We greet you, Jessie Smiles-of-Sunshine, Who Guards the Lady, Hunts the Bane and Bites Its Ass, Keeps Them Smiling, Tailchaser Bass Player, Cranks-It-To-Eleven, Loved-Her-Master - Bone Gnawer Ragabash. We bid you welcome."

"Although this is a happy occasion, we should pause for a moment to remember those who have gone before us: those who have given their full measure to make sure that our world continues to exist."

The crowd became quiet. Many bowed their heads or took off their hats. After a few moments Jessie looked up at Faerilith and nodded. Together, Garou and Fae started a low howl of Remembrance.

That got people's attention. The Garou joined in immediately. A few Fae joined in as well as they could but the point had been made - the Queen was honoring the Garou.

After the howl died down, Faerilith raised her hands. "We are gathered here to give honor to you - Jessie Smiles-of-Sunshine - for all your brave deeds. You were the one to rend and kill the hated enemy of both Fae and Garou; the leech Theo Bell. May he rot in hell."

"You have also been guardian of Queen Mab's Chancellor; the Lady Andrea Du-Sing Maomao. For this, all of us should be glad."

Jessie heard a murmur ripple through the crowd. As Unseelie ruler showing honor and respect to a Seelie leader, Faerilith wasn't just tossing the gauntlet down - she was throwing in the scarf and hat too.

"And you have saved the life of someone very important. Against impossible odds, standing against enemies who outnumbered you ten to one, your courage, tenacity and quick thinking saved the day - and nearly cost you your life. But you stood and fought - an example to us all."

"You told me that you were of simple birth, of a lowly tribe. That matters not to me. The only thing that matters is courage and courage alone. Not birth; not kith; not House; not Court. And whatever your origins, nobody anywhere can deny your courage. No one."

Queen Faerilith drew her sword. It shone like a beacon. "Because of your courage I knight you Dame Jessie-Smiles-of-Sunshine. I grant you this title without the Oaths and Requirements of fealty, nor any obligations of service. I give this honor to you not because of kin or connections... but because you have earned it." She tapped Jessie on each shoulder with the flat of the blade.

Jessie took one more step up - one step away from mounting the stage. She turned to the crowd. "Ah'll make this short - Ah'm only five feet 'n one inch tall."

"Ah couldn't get here without some help - not without mah packs. Not jest mah regular pack, but the ones formed when we was in danger and had jobs ta do. Packs with other Garou, with Mages and with Fae. We work together and we can kick Wyrm butt all the way ta hell. Now... listen carefully ta what Ah'm about ta tell ye all - cause it's real important."

Jessie raised her arm and pointed. "Lobster boil's over there, clambake over there and barbecue over there. No shoving; there's plenty for all."

As soon as the Sidhe royalty had come down from the stage, equipment was uncovered and a New Orleans style jazz band started up. Her pack embraced her and went off to wait in the various chow lines. Soon everyone was feasting; either sitting on the ground or at one of the many tables previously set up.

Toby scampered up to her with a full plate of New England delicacies. "Lobster and clams! I hate you!"

"Ah'd best work the crowd," she said wandered over to a knot of people. A man in a sports jacket and an older woman in a summer dress were listening to a nocker and a boggan. She knew the man but not the woman. The woman looked thrilled and overwhelmed at the same time.

She laughed. "Affirmative! You on that kick again? Ah gotta get ye a thesaurus. Who's the lady?"

"Well, I did do my dissertation on it." She sighed deeply. "It will need... revising."

"Might want to give her a hand on it," Jessie said to the nocker. She caught a group coming their way and didn't like look of them. "Excuse me."

She went over to the group of three Get of Fenris. "He smells funny," the alpha said with a faint growl, looking toward Sammy. "Weaverish. Much too weaverish."

She smiled brightly at them. "Ah smell funny too after a night on the town. But... hey! If you want to disrupt a nice get-together by snarlin' at mah guest and our ally... jest go right ahead! Never mind he helped save Manhattan from the Bane-In-The-Box. Ferget that he helped save mah butt and a few dozen others in the battle fer the medical node. Put aside the fact that half this crowd would jump all over you fer it. And disregard the fact that he's mah friend - funny smellin' or not." She shrugged. "Or ye can go get yerselfs another helping of ribs."

Jessie turned to see two fae and a mage behind her. "Captain Cromwell! Pete! Melanie!" She embraced each briefly. "How's it going?"

Jessie looked at the pooka and the CoX mage. "Ye don't have ta tell me what's goin' on with you two!"

The pooka pouted. "Security has it in for me - ruffling my feathers and nobody else's."

A sidhe noble with a small retinue glided up to her. "Dame Jessie Smile-Of-Sunshine?" The noble nodded regally. "I am Duke Cambius. Congratulations."

"Why thank ye. Didn't really think ye'd show up but Ah'm glad ye did," Jessie responded smiling.

"Such unusual circumstances... and the performance of Queen Faerilith, I wouldn't want to miss this for the world." He swept his hand to one side. "May I have a moment of your time?"

Sidhe and Bone Gnawer stepped away from the crowd. "To be honest, I was surprised to receive an invitation," Cambius said quietly. "You have no doubt heard ill things about me."

She shrugged. "Family squabbles. Hopin' this would give y'all a chance to patch things up a bit."

"How thoughtful of you," he said dryly. "I will not keep you from the festivities. You pass yourself as a simple omega, but you don't fool me. You have wits along with great bravery. So you must know that you are being made a pawn in a game of politics centuries old."

Her tone became solemn. "Ah tell ya honestly, the only King in mah book wears blue suede shoes."

He smiled slightly. "How droll. I see that ragabash and pookas are not completely unalike. Still, it would best if you would stay out of our politics - no matter what rank we choose to honor you with."

She stopped and sighed again. "Duke Cambius... mah Alpha told me the Wyrm haunts yer Dream-stuff as much as it pollutes our world. Mah job is to get rid of the Wyrm. Because when it comes ta fightin' - Ah'd rather have the Fae fightin' by mah side then off fightin' with themselves. We can do great things together."

"And mah Alpha told me ta guard the Queen's chancellor. Big job. So is keepin' them pup... children safe that she treats."

"Ah don't want ta mess with yer family squabbles - they'z a-givin' me a headache." She looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Hey... could ye help me with that stuff? Ah don't understand half of it and you seem ta be an expert. And maybe ye can give me some more info on them there nightmare creatures with the multi-arms and with one big red glowin' eye." She squinted with one eye and opened the other wide to stare at him briefly. "Jest in case Ah run into them again."

"Good! Ah'll do that!" She smiled warmly at him and bounced on her toes. "Everyone keeps a-telling me that yer all stuffy and such but ye seem like an okay guy, willin' ta chat with little old me!"

She looked over her shoulder and saw Lorraine approaching them. "Gotta go! Catch ya later!"

Lorraine looked concerned as she watch Duke Cambius walk away. "What was that all about?"

A mob of Bone Gnawers came over to her. "There she is! The woman of the day! Best party in ages! Three cheers for Dame Jessie!"

"A little help from mah fae friends," she told them. She did not tell them about all the plumbing jobs she'd promised in return.

With a tongue only a lupus could have, she cleaned a swath of it from her face. "Best not let it go to waste!" she responded cheerfully. Those born canine needed no further excuse to help lick her face clean. Laughter bubbled up from those around her.

"You owe me a piece of pie!" she said to her assailant. She put an arm around him. "Ye couldn't resist, could ye?" she whispered to him.

"Ah was hopin' you'd show," she whispered to the disguised Nuwisha. "Ah'm glad."

As she was finishing up her pie the sound of a piano pounding out 'The Root Beer Rag' came from the stage.

During the feasting the band's equipment had been set up. The jazz band was leaving as members of her pack assembled on stage. Ray was playing the ragtime on his keyboards while the rest of the band got their instruments ready. Three of her friends from ReiM also came up and took their place behind extra microphone stands set up just for them.

Jessie strapped on her battered bass as looked over the crowd. "Hey - ye all havin' a good time?" she said into the microphone.

"Let me intra-duce ye to some of mah most favorite people in the world; on keyboards Ray Kills-With-Style, Crystal Kills-for-Peace on guitars, Eric Has-No-Patience on guitars, Gilda Harrows-the-Bane on drums!" She threw a kiss to the woman behind the drumkit. "And commanding our audio is Freddie Throws-the-Bomb! We are..."

Gilda started the beat and the band began clapping their hands. The beat from one of Queen's signature songs was taken up by the crowd.

"Buddy you are Dream born, care worn
Fighting in the streets gonna save all the Dream one day
You got blood on your mace, no disgrace
We're gonna put the Wyrm back into its place, singing..

"Buddy you have Mage lore, cast more
Fighting in the streets gonna save everyone one day
There's blood every place, no disgrace
We're gonna put the Wyrm back into its place, singing.."

"Woman you're wolf-born, flesh torn
Fighting everywhere gonna save the whole World one day
You got blood on your klaive, it's what you crave
Kicking Wyrm butt all over the place, singing...

The Ladies of Rei Memorandi exited during the guitar solo. "You like that?" Jessie called out at the end. "Well Ah heard that there are some who don't quite believe in our little group of friends. Got words fer them:"

After that Elvis hit, the band went into their high-energy, take-no-prisioners set. From old metal:

"My heart is black, and my lips are cold.
Cities On Flame - with Rock -n- Roll!"

The crowd roared as the played. Jessie grinned widely. Now things were better. She had her pack back, they were playing together, everything was going to be the way they used to be.

Out of their last sound the band made a group of chord changes to finish up their set, ending full circle with a Queen song:

"We are the champions, my friends!
And we'll keep on fighting, to the end!
We are the champions... WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
No time for losers 'cause we are the champions...!"

All the guitarists turned their instruments towards their amps causing them to set up a howling feedback. Gilda grinned at her and nodded. Jessie quickly adjusted her ear protection and laid her bass on the ground next to her amp. She cranked the knobs all the way up causing the bass to growl with feedback. She spread her arms and spun around. The band chanted, "Do it Jessie, do it!"

She switched directions and chased her tail briefly before going over to the bass and pawing the volume control down. The feedback faded and the whole band - her pack - howled in delight.

"The best." Jessie flopped bonelessly in a chair. "We'll be playin' gigs locally now. Not many... everyone's too busy." She smiled contentedly. "Things have been topsy-turvy for awhile but now things are a-gonna be all right. Jest like it used to be."

Lorraine looked up from her paper. "There's a message for you, Dame Jessie. I put it in your room, on your bed."

The lupus went to her small room and examined the envelope. It smelled of Albrecht. "Hope he's not tryin' to apologize fer not comin'," she said to herself.

Dear Dame Jessie,

You asked me for a favor and my wisdom. Dark times are still ahead so enjoy your pack while you can. As for wisdom - I have little to give. This is what I get for being famous: people ask me for things they think I have, but often don't.

People are now going to come to you asking for favors; a word in the ear of the alphas, help with a quest, and - perhaps most difficult of all - wisdom. You may have passed yourself off as a poor, little omega and a Bone Gnawer to boot before, but you're a distinguished hero now. I'm not saying you don't deserve the honors - you do, and furthermore, you won't let it go to your head. But you're no longer just a poor little omega from Ithaca; you're an honorary knight of the Dreaming and a famous Garou.'

'If they haven't come to you already, they will soon. They will ask for favors - don't give what you don't have. They will ask you to influence those you guard - that's not your job. They will come to you for wisdom - watch what you say.'

'Welcome to the ranks of the famous. - Albrecht.'