Spring 82: Clear
Dearest Zann,
We had a sudden council meeting today in the guardroom. Candur and all of his senior people, plus representatives of the various ambassadorial guards, and the Qualisons from in town. He would have invited the Immaculate Zone if he knew what it actually was. Because Lord Clear is visiting.
Castellan Senrralar told Candur yesterday. I hadn’t heard of Lord Clear but it seems he’s the most deadly dangerous of all laurans. He just kills people all the time. The king summoned him for reasons that Candur doesn’t know but that may have to do with the unrest in Crideon. He’s going to be here tomorrow, and that means that nobody is safe.
So Candur explained the situation to all of us around the room. He told us when Lord Clear was arriving, and when he was expected to leave, and how large his escort would be, and where in the palace he would be staying.
“What does he look like?” Delega said.
Candur pointed at her approvingly. “Tall, well-built, handsome, dark blue hair. Deep voice. Well-dressed. Carries no visible weapons, but many invisible ones. Some old scar tissue around his eyes.”
“Are we allowed to kill him?” asked Lieutenant Praff, using his serious voice.
“That’s not the question,” Candur said. “If you did kill him, it might mean trouble for us, but I don’t mind some trouble. The problem is that he’s too dangerous to fight. I don’t want you trying to kill him. I want you keeping away from him. There’s no telling what he might do. So keep away.”
One of the Amaydyan guard officers, a woman named Wryth, said, “That is easy to say. One cannot keep away from the man if he is talking to a person one is guarding. If he is dangerous, then very good, one needs a tactic that can be used against a dangerous man.”
Ambe spoke up. “I might be able to come up with something. Some kind of charm.”
“You might,” Candur said. “But Lord Clear is also a powerful wizard.”
This produced a period of low grumbles around the table.
Tharus, hanging off of a flagpole above Praff, said, “Who’s he loyal to?”
Candur paused, and said, “That’s a good question. I don’t know the answer. Any more questions? Ideas?”
There weren’t any.
“Then go and get ready. If you want to pass something along to me, find Ybel here. We’ll coordinate everything through him. Anything useful, you’ll hear from me.”
I didn’t mind that. What I minded was the danger. What danger was there in coordinating things with other guard forces? I didn’t know. But I knew there was some. And for a brief second I thought, better me than someone else. Before I came to my wits, I thought that.
Love,
Ybel
