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"We head for the Mountain of Dreams," Inlé answered as coolly as ever. Arrats began to admire the boy's inexhaustible store of composure and wondered if he'd ever lost his temper. The thought made her shudder, though she could not say why.

"Halt!" a voice called, and a dozen armored guards blocked the group's path. "We cannot let you pass with Her Highness. Princess, you are to stay here until the period of mourning has ended. Please, come with us."

Selice shook her head, her ocher curls bouncing. "I've no reason to stay here. My leaving is as His Majesty commanded."

"Ah, begging your pardon, Highness, but we of the Royal Guard all know of His Majesty's passing. As he passed on before your guests arrived, I very much doubt he said anything on the subject."

Selice pulled a small scroll from the folds in her dress. "This proves my word."

The guard took the scroll, carefully lifted the seal--which he noted to be the late king's personal seal, though burnt into the wax strangely--and read aloud.

"In the name of His Majesty, King Dusan, in Servitude to Sekhor, of the country of Ashkern and the Far Isles, Head of the State, Defender of the Borderlands, We do declare that Her Highness, Crown Princess Selice de Brique of Ashkern, Heart of Briqueward is to join the party of Inlé Zapfino, the Worldwanderer, in the service of the Goddesses, and to aid in their quest, for whatever duration is required. She is to be held in the charge of Sir Zapfino, and any harm dealt her will be returned him on their return up to and including death.

"Because the party requires speed, the party must remain small. As such, We command that no more than one of His Majesty's Royal Guard, to be chosen by the princess or the party, will accompany them and safeguard the princess, sacrificing his life for her own. This guard must have attained the title of Knight, be sworn to chivalry, and have been in Our service for a minimum of seven years.

"Lastly, due to the dangerous nature of this quest, no knight is eligible for this mission whether he is betrothed for a marriage within or has been married less than three years. Any knight whose bride is with child, or who leaves no son older than eight years of age is ineligible as well. Though We wish for the safety of Our precious daughter, We would not bring more sorrow than absolutely necessary.

"Good Knight who guards the Heart of Briqueward, We pray you protect her, she is the heart of the old king as well."

The man read again silently, as a hush fell over the collected guard, each in quiet contemplation.

"The king was kind," the guard spoke after some short time. "But his kindness has made this quite a specific task. Only a fourth of our number are of His Royal Guard, reducing the number toward the center of the two hundreds, but of them, most are Knights having served seven or more years, and some few have further position than that. We still look at nearly two hundred men. Those not sworn to chivalry reduce the number by a third, leaving a rough hundred fifty of us. But most are settled or settling, the three years' about marriage reduces us by eighty, and those with young children number fifty of ours." The guard rolled the scroll tightly and returned it to the princess with a quick bow.

"Only twenty of our men are eligible for this task. Of them, half are as old as the king and close to retirement, and five are out on other quests. That leaves five of whom it would be best to take: myself and four others. As we are pressed for time ..." The guard removed his helmet and bowed low. Arrats was impressed by the grace of the move. This guard, she saw, was skilled. "Would it please Her Highness that I be the guard that accompanies you?" He rose with the same grace, and Arrats, at least, was pleased to see it was the same guard who had resisted abandoning his princess without assurance of her safety. She smiled, but ...

"No," Selice said. "I refuse. I need no guard, and if a small party will move faster, four will be swifter than five."

"Your Highness ..." the guard began, but was cut off with a wave of her hand.

"I refuse. The scroll said I could choose a maximum of one. That means there can be none, which is as I choose."

"Well as ye say, girly," Fernweh said, chuckling to see the guards bristle at his disregard for title. "But it also said that th' party may choose one, an' th' Archcardinal here looks fit t' burstin' t' take this one."

"What?" Arrats said. "No, I merely find this soldier to be a fine example of what a soldier should be." The guard bowed in thanks. Arrats was somewhat surprised to see nods of agreement from the men behind him. She could see neither jealousy nor even any ill will toward him.

"And," she added, "if the princess does not want protection, I certainly do. The curse of the mage, you know: I'm useless in melee. So, good knight, what may we call you?" She winked at Selice, who no longer tried to hide the anger in her eyes. Good, Arrats thought. Let her get some of that out.

"I am Spinel Gahn," the guard said with another bow. "I am here to serve."

"Then let us be on our trek," Inlé said. "The Mountain of Dreams nears sunset faster than we, and that will not do."

"Aye," Fernweh said. "Who's t' say it won't wander off if we leave it a bit?" He laughed as he walked lightly through the guards before they could move from blocking the party's way. He chuckled at their consternation, knowing they had been so easily outclassed. They may be able to restrain him one day, he mused. If, in two hundred years he had grown no more wily, and they had advanced faster than he had. Impossible, true. But that didn't mean it couldn't happen.

Description
"We head for the Mountain of Dreams," Inlé answered as coolly as ever. Arrats began to admire the boy's inexhaustible store of composure and wondered if he'd ever lost his temper. The thought made her shudder, though she could not say why.

"Halt!" a voice called, and a dozen armored guards blocked the group's path. "We cannot let you pass with Her Highness. Princess, you are to stay here until the period of mourning has ended. Please, come with us."

Selice shook her head, her ocher curls bouncing. "I've no reason to stay here. My leaving is as His Majesty commanded."

"Ah, begging your pardon, Highness, but we of the Royal Guard all know of His Majesty's passing. As he passed on before your guests arrived, I very much doubt he said anything on the subject."

Selice pulled a small scroll from the folds in her dress. "This proves my word."

The guard took the scroll, carefully lifted the seal--which he noted to be the late king's personal seal, though burnt into the wax strangely--and read aloud.

"In the name of His Majesty, King Dusan, in Servitude to Sekhor, of the country of Ashkern and the Far Isles, Head of the State, Defender of the Borderlands, We do declare that Her Highness, Crown Princess Selice de Brique of Ashkern, Heart of Briqueward is to join the party of Inlé Zapfino, the Worldwanderer, in the service of the Goddesses, and to aid in their quest, for whatever duration is required. She is to be held in the charge of Sir Zapfino, and any harm dealt her will be returned him on their return up to and including death.

"Because the party requires speed, the party must remain small. As such, We command that no more than one of His Majesty's Royal Guard, to be chosen by the princess or the party, will accompany them and safeguard the princess, sacrificing his life for her own. This guard must have attained the title of Knight, be sworn to chivalry, and have been in Our service for a minimum of seven years.

"Lastly, due to the dangerous nature of this quest, no knight is eligible for this mission whether he is betrothed for a marriage within or has been married less than three years. Any knight whose bride is with child, or who leaves no son older than eight years of age is ineligible as well. Though We wish for the safety of Our precious daughter, We would not bring more sorrow than absolutely necessary.

"Good Knight who guards the Heart of Briqueward, We pray you protect her, she is the heart of the old king as well."

The man read again silently, as a hush fell over the collected guard, each in quiet contemplation.

"The king was kind," the guard spoke after some short time. "But his kindness has made this quite a specific task. Only a fourth of our number are of His Royal Guard, reducing the number toward the center of the two hundreds, but of them, most are Knights having served seven or more years, and some few have further position than that. We still look at nearly two hundred men. Those not sworn to chivalry reduce the number by a third, leaving a rough hundred fifty of us. But most are settled or settling, the three years' about marriage reduces us by eighty, and those with young children number fifty of ours." The guard rolled the scroll tightly and returned it to the princess with a quick bow.

"Only twenty of our men are eligible for this task. Of them, half are as old as the king and close to retirement, and five are out on other quests. That leaves five of whom it would be best to take: myself and four others. As we are pressed for time ..." The guard removed his helmet and bowed low. Arrats was impressed by the grace of the move. This guard, she saw, was skilled. "Would it please Her Highness that I be the guard that accompanies you?" He rose with the same grace, and Arrats, at least, was pleased to see it was the same guard who had resisted abandoning his princess without assurance of her safety. She smiled, but ...

"No," Selice said. "I refuse. I need no guard, and if a small party will move faster, four will be swifter than five."

"Your Highness ..." the guard began, but was cut off with a wave of her hand.

"I refuse. The scroll said I could choose a maximum of one. That means there can be none, which is as I choose."

"Well as ye say, girly," Fernweh said, chuckling to see the guards bristle at his disregard for title. "But it also said that th' party may choose one, an' th' Archcardinal here looks fit t' burstin' t' take this one."

"What?" Arrats said. "No, I merely find this soldier to be a fine example of what a soldier should be." The guard bowed in thanks. Arrats was somewhat surprised to see nods of agreement from the men behind him. She could see neither jealousy nor even any ill will toward him.

"And," she added, "if the princess does not want protection, I certainly do. The curse of the mage, you know: I'm useless in melee. So, good knight, what may we call you?" She winked at Selice, who no longer tried to hide the anger in her eyes. Good, Arrats thought. Let her get some of that out.

"I am Spinel Gahn," the guard said with another bow. "I am here to serve."

"Then let us be on our trek," Inlé said. "The Mountain of Dreams nears sunset faster than we, and that will not do."

"Aye," Fernweh said. "Who's t' say it won't wander off if we leave it a bit?" He laughed as he walked lightly through the guards before they could move from blocking the party's way. He chuckled at their consternation, knowing they had been so easily outclassed. They may be able to restrain him one day, he mused. If, in two hundred years he had grown no more wily, and they had advanced faster than he had. Impossible, true. But that didn't mean it couldn't happen.