Make An Entrance to Entrance

(October 3rd, open to all though I'd hope Esme will go a while before being recognized! This is just to establish her situation, feel free to treat her as a background character if you wish.)

To the inhabitants of Agrabah, one more dark-skinned woman was little worth noting - even one with the emerald eyes of a foreigner. The city was a hub of trade, and hearts that burned beneath the Arabian night often resulted in mixed-blood children left behind by wandering caravans. So when a woman with a thicker build and exotic eyes approached the master of the palace's household servants, no one thought much of it.

The novelty of Esmeralda's strange beauty earned her the position of a simple handmaid - a servant to all who now resided in the palace. Wrapped in the meager clothing of a servant girl, the gypsy found it surprisingly easy to blend in with the other hired maids. They'd cooed and questioned her as she joined them in their quarters, but once she'd changed from her hastily-purchased sari to the crimson outfit she'd been provided she found that thankfully they all looked strikingly similar. Though her thick hair and eyes would still set her apart from the others... Nothing to do about that.

Esmeralda passed her palms over the exposed flesh of her abdomen as she studied her new appearance in the mirror. A band of red bound her chest, a meager protection from roving eyes. Though her former outfit had been improper by society's standards, this one just took the cake! The pants, puffed out things that they were, covered her legs at least. A gold cuff was used to secure Esmeralda's curls in the high ponytail that seemed the style of choice for her new occupation and as escaped ringlets were pushed off of her forehead the disguised female reached for a veil of pale red. With her outfit complete and half her face hidden beneath a gauzy shield, she was ready to work.

Meeting the sharp green gaze in the mirror, Esmeralda ran through her plan for perhaps the hundredth time within the hour. First things first - figure out the layout of the palace. Second, mark escape routes for the almost inevitable event of something going wrong. Third, find Phoebus and Clopin.

Squaring her shoulders, Esmeralda turned to follow the rest of the servant girls out of their collective quarters. If she could make it that far, maybe they could all get out of here alive.

Maps. What was it with armies and maps? Yes, he knew their importance, so that they could plan out attacks on the opposing armies, but after spending almost all his time with maps under Simba, the gypsy king had grown quite sick of them. He supposed it was because he was a natural at mapping out places and knowing various nooks and crannies from where to plot attacks. And he supposed that he should be thankful that Jafar even accepted him into his army, let alone give him a rank such as captain. All the better to plan out his own revenge with.

But this map was wholly different. Instead of being a map belonging to the heroes’ army, this one belonged to his new army, and it was a map of some area called London. Clopin had heard various exchanges about the city, but he personally had never been there.

It was then that he remembered a specific set of tasks that he’d been given to complete, besides poring over the map of London. One of them included that he tell the servants to bring food to Jafar himself. Putting down the feather he’d been marking spots with, the gypsy king stood, and stretched his stiff limbs. After that was done, he strolled out of his chambers, and turned to the hallways where the servants’ quarters were located. This time though, he didn’t have to retrieve them. They were already headed in his direction. Walking directly up to them, Clopin offered a small bow, before addressing them.

“Do excuse me madames, but these are orders that I must give.” Clopin said, his eyes roving over the small group of girls. One in particular caught his eye, but only because he could not mistake the emerald green eyes looking straight back at him. Keeping his temper, Clopin delivered his orders coolly.
“You are to bring food to the quarters of Jafar and his sister, Nasira.” he said, keeping his gaze locked on Esmeralda. “And, one last thing.” Clopin said, as a small smile played across his mouth.
“You. Yes, you there in the back. Come with me now, would you?” he asked, gesturing to Esmeralda.

Phoebus had chores of his own, but unlike his buddy Captain Clopin, he was just another slave. He supposed he should be grateful, but the ex-general couldn't appreciate his second chance. In his heart, Phoebus knew he did the right thing. But he endangered everyone else in doing so. He couldn't return to the Pridelands. Not until he (somehow) made up for his treachery.

Phoebus encountered one of Pongo's one hundred and one (or rather ninety-four children) during his lunch break. In exchange for a box of Kanine Krunchies, Cinders told Phoebus the latest gossip. Under normal circumstances, Phoebus wouldn't have bothered with grapevines, but he need information and Cinders REALLY wanted those treats. So between mouthfuls, Cinders told him all about her master Captain Thomas and how good she supposedly was at tracking. Though the conversation was centered around Cinders, Phoebus learned quite a bit.

But 'Captain Clopin' took the cake.

“Yeah, Clopin is our newest captain.” Cinders was saying, seemingly oblivious to Phoebus's horror. “I don't know a lot about him, but he seems pretty nice.”

Phoebus was aware his brother-in-law was missing, but King Simba's lack of concern convinced Phoebus Clopin was on a mission which required him elsewhere. He would've never guessed Clopin was here of all places! Was King Simba aware of this?

One thing was certain: Phoebus wanted answers. So he said goodbye to Cinders and headed to the throne room.

The information that had reached Esmeralda within Paris had been unclear on the fate of her loved ones. She'd only been told that both Phoebus and Clopin had gone missing after an attack on the Pride Rock camp, and after speaking with the inhabitants, she'd naturally assumed they'd been captured. With that assumption in mind, the sudden appearance of her uninjured-and-healthy brother at the end of the hall came as quite a shock to the gypsy girl. Had Clopin already managed an escape? Or - the thought came with a cold shudder down her spine as she watched her beloved sibling give orders to the servants just before her - had he turned on the army he'd sworn to protect?

Irises dark enough in color to be considered black rather than brown found her own rather quickly, which was to be expected in all honesty. Her eye color was uncommon in the women she'd seen here, and Clopin was no fool. He'd been as good as a parent figure during her childhood - if he couldn't recognize her, then no one could.

With the proper order and speed that had earned them a spot on the palace roster the servant girls offered Clopin a slight bow before scurrying away. None of them wanted to hang about when one of the men requested a specific servant girl. Soon enough it was just Esmeralda and Clopin standing in the empty hall. The meek humility that the gaggle of girls demonstrated had no place on the woman's body. She approached Clopin in a few strides, arms crossed over her chest as she glanced around them. The walls here were smooth enough for their words to echo softly - not an ideal place for a disguised gypsy and her misplaced king to talk. "Is there somewhere more private we can go?" Esmeralda's tone was low enough to suggest less-than-innocent intent to any near enough to hear, but the girl's gaze was anything but lustful.

Clopin eyed the walls for a moment, noticing that Esmeralda’s words did indeed echo off the walls. He couldn’t risk any words reaching the ears of someone who wasn’t meant to hear their conversation. He was glad that the servant girls had left so quickly; he had been hoping he wouldn’t have to give them more excuses to get them out of the way.

But the other thing he had noticed as Esmeralda came up to him was that she was missing one very important detail: her golden earring. Clopin still wore his, and to see Esmeralda without hers both saddened and infuriated him. To wear a golden earring such as theirs was to signify that they were gypsies. At least, that was what he had been told since he was small, since he had first gotten his ear pierced.

“Now,” his mother said, when his earring was put in place, “now you are a gypsy. Never forget that, my son. You are Clopin, the gypsy prince.”

“My chambers. Now.” Clopin ordered, in the authoritative voice of a king. He did not wait for Esme to reply—instead, he merely grabbed her hand in the fashion that an angry older brother would, and began to drag her off towards the aforementioned chambers.

Claws fingered gripped at a crimson fruit, the pointed tips penetrating the skin of the apple, it’s juices trailing down his fingers all the while. Narrowed feline like eyes scanned the people below as he perched motionless on an overhand, his hair falling like a curtain along his broad shoulders. Moments before, he had plucked the apple off of a rather large pile in the market. Had he paid for it? Of course not. Was he expected to? Of course not. Stealing around here would call for a hand to be severed, however no one dared make a challenging step towards the general. However now, he merely sat and observed, the apple being tossed into the air, only to be captured once more.

Every time it sailed back into his hand, it earned a brutal squeeze, and at this point, much of the scarlet skin had been removed. Beneath it was the succulent fruit, which graced his lips every few moments. Sure, he preferred meat, although an apple every once in a while did sate his appetite. Shan Yu cast a sideways glance towards a line of servant girls, their exposed bodies being overlooked rather easily. All the servants were dressed in little to no garnets. Why? To knock down any pride and satisfy the eyes of the men.

Without a moment wasted, his gaze returned to the girls, their was a gap in their line, meaning, someone was missing. Of course, it was natural. She was probably picked off to fulfill a man’s desire. Sniffling disdainfully, he shifted his gaze towards the end of the line, to where the females had come from. Ah, there she is, oh…there she is. Thick raven hair was pinned by jewelry, which accented her dark skin. The thick curls set her apart from the others however, as Shan Yu leaned forward to get a better look at her, he noticed her eyes. Oh, those eyes! Completely foreign both here and in China.

Rising from his squatting position, he gave a final crunch towards the fruit before dropping it towards the earth. He was well aware of the malnourished children below, and sure enough, a triumphant laugh indicated his apple had been discovered. Sure, he was a brutal leader, however he usually did what was best for his people. These children weren’t necessary his, although that didn’t stop him from doing subtle deeds like these. With the odd woman still in his view, he slipped across the overhand and onto another, this one allowing him complete view. The gypsy man was just below and he had her hand firmly within his own. Oh no. Now this just wouldn’t do!

Descending his perch silently, he materialized stealthily through the shadows, his pupils dilating. Agrabah offered sweltering heat, causing many of it’s inhabitants to dress lightly. However the Hun was used to harsh climates, this sudden change in heat was both resented and appreciated. Yet he allowed himself to enjoy the sun on his bare arms today. Animal hide remained clinging to his legs, however he was bare above the waist, save for a thin fabric. Years of battle and training hardened his physique, offering sinew muscle to be painfully obvious. Biceps bounced lightly as he folded his arms, a cracked grin shifting his mustache, “Where are you two headed of to in such a hurry?” His tone was husky by nature, however it seemed a bit more hoarse at the moment as he trailed his gaze inconspicuously along the female’s trim body, favoring her by far.

He remained in their path, blocking it off as he awaited a response.

"My, my, my, what do we have here?" Raven haired witch made her way up to the group. Seeing the slaves work their hardest was something that she truly enjoyed. It brought her pleasure. Real pleasure. Crimson eyes flashed to the two who like Shan-yu, thought that they were in quite the hurry. "Who is this?" she asked as polite as possible but there was ice in her tone. If a new female was here then that meant that she would have to step up her game to make sure that she understood that she was someone that no one messed with!

(Ya'll don't mind me throwing Peter into this do ya?)

One thing the young flying boy had noticed during his short time here, was that the other children here were very thin, not thin in his own sense but as in they hardly ever got any food. If Peter were to say he hadn't snatched a few pieces of bread or an apple or two for them every once and a while, he'd be lying. He couldn't stand to see the way most of the people here were treated, sure he'd seen his share of hardships, even Neverland had fallen for a short time, but it didn't last long. Nothing ever seemed to in the far off island.

With his mind wondering it took Peter a moment before he noticed the gathered group in front of him, at first he wasn't interested but once he heard some of their conversation he lifted himself from the ground silently and slowly moved closer. He wasn't planing on letting himself be known, at least not yet. If someone else noticed him before that, he'd just have to wait and see.

"Clo- hey." Did he have to grab so hard? Esmeralda scowled at the back of her brother's head, nearly stumbling as he made to drag her down the hall. The satin-slick slippers on her feet lent no help to the gypsy girl as she made to keep up with the angry Clopin, which only irritated the girl further. Did the servant girls really need such useless footwear in such a clean palace? She'd done fine before with little but skin against the cold cobbled roads that paved Paris' streets. "Is pulling my arm off really necessary?" Esmeralda sped her gait to match Clopin's so that her hissed whisper would reach his ear. Whatever reply her adopted brother might have made was blocked however by a striking arrival - an arrival who was nearly as scantily-clad as herself.

The muscles of the arm gripped beneath Clopin's palm tensed as a wolfish gaze raked over Esmeralda's tanned and taut body. The woman resisted the impulse to do the same, squaring her jaws instead as thick brows dropped towards her emerald eyes with a sense of dissatisfaction. Though she'd long ago learned how to turn her body into an enticing net for men's gaze and coin, she greatly disliked being eyed as though she were a walking cut of fine beef. Esmeralda frowned beneath the thin veil that shielded her mouth, taking a moment to hold her tongue. This was no matter of back-talking a guard then running for it. She was a servant girl, a molehill before the statuses of those around her. Even with Clopin to keep her away from harm (or so she hoped) a smart mouth could ruin all she'd worked to do. A quick breath of air was drawn then expelled, a great deal of tension with it as Esmeralda struggled to channel subservient thoughts. The anger in the green fire of her gaze she could not stifle so she hid, dropping the gems of her eyes and tilting her face forward so that locks of raven-wing black could cover her mutinous expression. The approach of another did little to raise Esmeralda's gaze - her lips simply thinned further in aggravation.

Best to let Clopin handle this mess, she thought.

Clopin stepped back a few paces as the man who was very much twice his size blocked the path back to his chambers. Shan Yu was not a man to be trifled with, and even though Clopin had a quicksilver tongue, he knew better than to aggravate the man who could easily snap his scrawny neck. It was not a very pretty thought, and the gypsy frowned a little at the thought of it. Before he could respond to Shan-Yu, however, another villain had approached them. Female, and she carried herself with the greatest pride. Narissa. She too was also wondering where he and Esmeralda were off to in such a hurry.

Honestly now, if they kept running into roadblocks like this, they would never once get to speak in private. Clopin had to resist the groan rising in his throat. Sighing instead, he adopted his villain persona, and rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Well,” Clopin began, as he locked his gaze on Shan Yu, “if you must absolutely know, this servant girl has been nothing but trouble since she arrived here in Agrabah. I’ve been told that she’s a rare desert flower, but that does not excuse her for her actions. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m on a very tight schedule, and I’ve been ordered to take her to the torture chambers. “

“And no, you may not escort her yourselves. I was told specifically to do it myself.” Clopin added, in a low voice. If there was one thing he absolutely hated, it was people who stood in his way.

Arms remained crossed, his gloveless fingers curling ever so slightly as he kept his gaze on the pair. Lips pursed for a brief moment, causing his facial hair to shift, accompanying the shift of the puckered flesh. Silence fell over him as he felt the female’s gaze grace his physique for a fleeting moment before she seemed to fold in on herself, not offering a single word. This wasn’t unnatural, considering she was a servant, however she didn’t seem like the type to sit back and take anything that was tossed to her. Tearing his tapered gaze away, he allowed his concentration to fall upon the scrawny man once more. Within moments, the sounds of an approaching form decreased the remaining space and patience of Shan-Yu. A shift of his head and an indolent glance was offered to Narrisa before he dismissed her. They were both wondering the same thing, and they’d both remain stationary until they received an answer, it seemed.

Naturally, the man spoke first, his words beating against the drums of Shan-Yu’s ears. Eyes hardened as they remained pinned against the gypsy’s own daring gaze. A quirk of a brow and a parting of lips was offered in reply to Clopin’s words as he watched him intently. Torture chambers, hm? Muscles bulged as the man stiffened, not at all affectionate towards those chambers, especially not for a female. A drawled exhale lifted heavily from his lips as he growled gruffly, “Who exactly gave you these orders?” Eyebrows descended, causing a shadow to shroud his eyes, giving him a more daunting appearance. Shoulders shifted upwards, rolling in their sockets as he stretched the muscles whilst simultaneously leaned forward so that he was eye to eye with Clopin. He remained this way for a prolonged moment before he glanced over to see the woman once more. From behind the veil, he could see the outline of her lips, appraising the subtle muscles contorting her features with disproval.

Shna-Yu was interested yet critical. Who would order her to the torture chambers? Jafar, possibly. Though hadn’t he gone on a trip with Nasira and the others? That immediately scratches out three possible people. Who else has the power to make such an action? Grimacing he leaned back on the balls of his feet, thoughts reeling. Maybe they ordered her to be taken before they left? But why would it take so long to get her? The servants were on the same time schedule usually. Blinking, he inclined his chin, peering downward with a dangerous glint in his feline eyes. “You may bring her into the torture chambers by yourself if you’d like.”

He paused, words suddenly light yet deadly, “However, I’ll be escorting you to the doors.”

Esmeralda! Phoebus' jaw dropped. What was she doing here?

“Where are you two headed of to in such a hurry?” Shan-Yu demanded.

“Well, if you must absolutely know, this servant girl has been nothing but trouble since she arrived here in Agrabah," 'Captain' Clopin explained. Phoebus' brow furrowed. What's got into him? Phoebus wondered. Has Clopin really betrayed us? Phoebus didn't want to believe his beloved brother-in-law was capable of such treachery, but he also wasn't one to deny the obvious. Clopin was a trickster at heart. He was indeed capable of betraying the ones closest to him; perhaps even his own flesh and blood.

"I’ve been told that she’s a rare desert flower, but that does not excuse her for her actions. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m on a very tight schedule, and I’ve been ordered to take her to the torture chambers."

Torture chambers? Phoebus' face paled to a sickly white. No... Clopin wouldn't-he couldn't! "Esmeralda...," Phoebus choked back a sob. How could Clopin become the monster they resented? He was no better than Frollo now!

“You may bring her into the torture chambers by yourself if you’d like. However, I’ll be escorting you to the doors,” Shan-Yu replied.

"NO!!!"

Phoebus charged out into the open, swinging a mop handle at Clopin. "Get away from her, you bastard!" he snarled furiously, waving the wooden beam to and fro. "If you dogs so much as touch one hair on my wife's head, I'll-"

Eugena had been around the past month just helping out where she could as her poisons weren't use that much. She was helping mostly in the infirmary helping patch up wounds being a former nurse. Although once she'd married she'd given up that. But with her husband gone and learning about this war and about Clayton and her newly extended family she was glad she'd come to the war. She was relieved Jane had escaped. It was one thing to die in battle at least she had a chance to survive but as a prisoner it felt different somehow. Although Jane was her prisoner not to long ago. She knew she had to let go of her attachments to Tarzan, Jane, and his ape family. Sure he'd saved her life once but she had nearly killed his entire family believe he'd killed her brother. So they were even. She knew she couldn't have it both ways. She couldn't be allied to Tarzan and Jane and to her brother and the villains. So she'd have to let them go. She wouldn't abandon her brother not after getting him back. She was pulled from her thoughts as she saw a group assembled around a slave girl. Then one of the slaves charged with a mop handle.

She knew if she shot him with her pistol or her poison he'd be dead or injured and wouldn't be much use as a slave. He was one of the generals in Simba's army after all. If they wanted him dead they'd have killed him already. She looked at her gloves bored knowing he wouldn't be a match for any of the others. Although with Narissa and Clopin's magic and Shan Yu's strength she doubted Pheobus would get a chance to try anything.

"So you two are married? I didn't know we had married slaves here. But this isn't the hero camp you know. You have no power here. So I suggest you get back to your duties. Unless of course you'd like to join her in the torture room." said Eugena.

She pulled out her pistol ready to use it if necessary. She didn't really approve of torture but she'd joined this army after all. She couldn't turn back on it now.