The book Fable: The Balverine Order begins with an unknown king. He thinks about his duties and about the Heroes of old. He recalls that in "distant Albion," there is an old king on the throne, who is allegedly one of the last Heroes. During this period of contemplation, a storyteller, presumably Quentin Locke, appears. The strange man then persuades the king to listen to the story of Thomas Kirkman and James Skelton. From time to time, the king interrupts the story, expressing disbelief or asks a question to the storyteller. The more the story progresses, the more the king gets caught up in the story.