Cadwallader:

Cad makes his own polite bow, though his is that of a respectable artisan rather than a courtier. "I am Cadwallader Vuitton, Novitiate Wizard of the School of Conjuration," he replies to the Duke, knowing nobility usually only respect titles and giving himself a suitably impressive one. "My companions and I are of course eager to be presented to His Majesty, but I'm afraid we are not used to such esteemed personages and are unfamiliar with the proper courtesies. Is there any advice Your Grace might offer, so that we might not give offense? Oh, and you say these arsonists escaped in a balloon? One of them didn't, by chance, happen to be a tiny dragon?"

Ben:

Bowing and accepting the brooch gratefully, Ben is glad when Cad takes the lead in speaking to nobility.  He adds, “Thank you, good Duke.  The tiny dragon would have been a prisoner of the other culprit, locked in a cage.”

Titaani wipes soot from her eyes as she wakes, shooting a grateful smile towards Ben, only to notice that he is busy with more of the strange frog people. 

"Hello!" she interrupts, holding out her hand to the duke. "I'm Titaani. Titaani Breena Annabella Evie Leelathae to be exact, but I'm told non gnomish types don't use that many names. Say, do you guys know whether Bavlorna wears a leather apron and a crimson cap per chance? And wields a meat cleaver?"

Then she sees the brooch and is immediately distracted. "Oh! What is that? It's so pretty and well made!!" 

"Yes, yes," responds the Duke to Cad and Ben. "The scoundrel Wigglewog absconded with that foul dragon, a prisoner of our fair Bavlorna. They are co-conspirators, confederates who purloined one of our balloons! But before that, those wretched villains Wigglewog and Morgort set fire to our factory, to boot!"

"Why, Bavlorna has no meat cleaver!" says the Duke, turning his attention to Titaani. "Why, she looks like a beautiful toad, with a gaping mouth full of nice flies; charmingly bulging eyes; gorgeous leathery, mummified flesh; and long, lovely, spindly limbs. It is rare she comes out in public, but I have seen her once, and can attest to her beauty!"

"As to His Royal Majesty Gullop XIX," returning his gaze to Cad, "why follow the three rules of conduct, of course, and be sure to emphasize my valor in fighting the flames. Had you not rescued and restrained me, I would surely have perished battling this fire." He gazes at the blooming flames and winces slightly.

Ben:

Bowing again, Ben hands the brooch to Titaani for her to inspect and asks of the Duke, “Please forgive me, your Grace, I know little of courtly matters.  Would you kindly remind me of the three rules of conduct?”

"Well, you know," replies the Duke. "The usual rules. Rule of Hospitality, Rule of Ownership, and Rule of Reciprocity. Also, in specific regard to His Royal Majesty Gullop XIX, be sure not to insult, diminish, or besmirch Snoodle, his companion."

Titaani takes the brooch gratefully, but looks somewhat annoyed at this new information on the hag. "I'll bet anything Bavlorna can make herself look however she wants to get people to like her. Speaking of getting people to like you, I think you'll be fine, Ben. You're very polite, you know."

Ben:

The tips of his ears turning a bit pink, Ben responds, “Thank you, Titaani, but I’d rather let others do the talking if given the option.”  It’s obvious he isn’t used to compliments or really even being noticed much at all.

”Perhaps we should move on,” he adds, eyeing the inferno engulfing the balloon factory.  Bowing to the Duke once more, he says, “Again, I am sorry we were unable to save your building, but I am glad you did not perish in the fire.”

Ben looks the the path ahead and starts moving that way, hoping they get a chance to rest soon as he takes in the injuries of his friends.

Ben scouts ahead a little, carefully skirting the burning building, following the edge of a battered plank walkway floating on the pond. A clothesline is attached to one corner of the deck, extending into the fog to the south. It is hung with a variety of frayed, patchwork garments. Ahead he sees a flat wood-plank bridge extending across another arm of the lake. 

Ben:

Calling back to the others, Ben says, "The pathway continues here," and waits for them to join him.  He considers counseling the bullywugs to wet the wood around the burning building so the fire does not spread further, but he is concerned that might be seen as insulting their intelligence, so he refrains.

Titaani hops along happily, but she is starting to tire. "Hey, Ben, do you think we could stop somewhere soon? Just like for a quick break. Not that I need it or anything. Just for fun."

Ben:

Smiling at Titaani, Ben says, “If this king is as long-winded as our Townmaster back home, we’ll get a good rest while he is still introducing himself.”

Horatio:

Looking thoughtful, Horatio says to the group, "But really, how are we going to deal with this situation? It seems Bavlorna is well liked by at least some people, what if we've been lied to? How would we know who is telling the truth?"

 "Ok!" Titaani responds, giggling a little. In leu of walking, she jumps up onto Tiny's back, and turns to Ben. "Your town...do you miss it, Ben? I'm starting to miss my family back home."

Ben:

As they walk, Ben answers, “That’s a good point, Horatio; everything we have learned so far points to Bavlorna as being the culprit in many things, not least of which is our lost  friends and possessions.  I really don’t have an answer, but I am hoping if we keep an open mind and stay alert, an opportunity will present itself.”

To Titaani, he says, “I am respected in my little Thorpe and I have created some useful structures, but ever since I visited the carnival as a youth I have felt like I lost something.  Over the last few days here, I feel like it is slowly coming back and I am finding my purpose—I certainly am experiencing adventures I would have never believed.  It does feel quite…dangerous though, doesn’t it?”

As the group begins to make their way around the burning building, under the clothesline, and toward the bridge, something else emerges in the distance from the fog next to the bridge: a bullywug head on a wooden spike.

"Yup! Dangerous is the word!!" Titaani exclaims, frightened by the head on the stick. "Do we have to go this way?"

Cadwallader:

Cad is repulsed by the head. It reminds him of the pig heads butchers sometimes displayed, but this one belonged to a creature type he had just exchanged pleasantries with. I wonder, if pigs could talk would we be so quick to display their heads? The whole line of thought made him uncomfortable.

"King Gullop XVIII, if I had to guess. We must be sure to appear nonthreatening; a ruler on such a dangerous throne is likely to be very jumpy." Too late, he hears the pun and hopes none of the bullywugs overheard.

Still in a lot of pain from her burns Matilda had stayed quiet while the others conversed with the frogs.

She examined the head on the stake with morbid interest wondering what the frog-person had done to be treated so...

As the party approaches, they see another head, and then another...

This bridge is lined on one side by several rows of bullywug heads on wooden spikes. At the center of the bridge, a small figure sits with its feet dangling over one side. The figure appears to be talking to itself in bemoaned tones. But then the severed bullywug heads nearby erupt in a cacophony of voices—some indignant, others sympathetic. A few in a more distant row yell, “What? I couldn’t hear what they said!”

The small figure has oversized lobster claws for hands, and has a common yellow gourd in place of its head. It wears loose, straw-covered clothes and carries a sailcloth sack.