"I ate him because Thrandroch deserved better," the King said. "Steelsplitter's behavior was noted by his peers, who found it unnecessary. Gareth has always taken the most difficult cases, and he has never used such measures, even when I myself might have willed it. Thrandroch is dangerous in body, but not heart. His case was not difficult. Grilka will find him someone wiser, this time." The King looked down at the man brushing his forefoot, his skin the color of blood and ink, his dark horns pleasingly large. "I might have given him to Gareth," he said, "were he not already occupied."
Gareth thought that her interrupted question was only an argument she'd decided not to have. Something about the hungry in the streets, the mountain of treasure in the throne room. How hard it was to be a human being in a city built first for soldiers and second for industry.
"Hm." The King considered the question for a long time, looking back out over the forests and the fields. Gareth didn't like the question. He didn't like the reminder of how likely it was that Avi would just leave. He would get bored and fly away and never come back. He still hadn't declared an heir, thirteen years and he'd made no move to crown a prince. The whole court would need to lie, to pretend there was still a king in the castle and hope that no one would notice until they could figure out a solution. He didn't want to think about the power vacuum he would leave, other kings trying to lay claim to the kingdom. Princes returning from exile.
"Candy," he said finally. There were other answers, truer answers. But he could not speak them.
Gareth thought that her interrupted question was only an argument she'd decided not to have. Something about the hungry in the streets, the mountain of treasure in the throne room. How hard it was to be a human being in a city built first for soldiers and second for industry.
"Hm." The King considered the question for a long time, looking back out over the forests and the fields. Gareth didn't like the question. He didn't like the reminder of how likely it was that Avi would just leave. He would get bored and fly away and never come back. He still hadn't declared an heir, thirteen years and he'd made no move to crown a prince. The whole court would need to lie, to pretend there was still a king in the castle and hope that no one would notice until they could figure out a solution. He didn't want to think about the power vacuum he would leave, other kings trying to lay claim to the kingdom. Princes returning from exile.
"Candy," he said finally. There were other answers, truer answers. But he could not speak them.
The following 2 users Like Tindome's post: liarliaronapyre, SolitareLee
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Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 08:34 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 09:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 11:24 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 12:43 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 02:26 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 02:55 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 03:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 04:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 05:12 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-19-2019, 05:42 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-19-2019, 11:21 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 01:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 01:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 02:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 03:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 03:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 04:23 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 04:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 05:48 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 06:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 06:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 07:03 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 07:28 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 08:11 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 08:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 09:01 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 09:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 10:14 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 10:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 05:41 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 08:32 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 08:48 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 09:36 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 09:53 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 10:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-20-2019, 11:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-20-2019, 11:45 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 12:02 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 12:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 01:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 01:51 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 02:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 05:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 06:13 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 07:08 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 08:01 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 09:32 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 10:30 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 11:21 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 11:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 12:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 01:31 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 02:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 03:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 05:32 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-21-2019, 10:18 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-21-2019, 10:46 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 03:26 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 03:51 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 11:13 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 11:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-22-2019, 02:23 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-22-2019, 03:02 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 03:06 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 03:39 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 04:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 05:07 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 05:49 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 06:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 06:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 07:20 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 09:45 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 10:27 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 12:59 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 02:14 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 02:30 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 02:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 03:22 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-23-2019, 10:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-23-2019, 10:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 03:20 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 03:59 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 10:40 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 11:43 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 11:59 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 02:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 02:23 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 02:50 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 03:01 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 03:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 04:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-24-2019, 04:49 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-24-2019, 05:07 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 04:40 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 05:08 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 09:04 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 09:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 10:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 11:00 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 01:07 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 01:28 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-25-2019, 05:52 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-25-2019, 06:58 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 02:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 03:33 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 07:35 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 08:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 09:24 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 10:09 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 12:13 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 12:44 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-26-2019, 02:06 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-26-2019, 02:24 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 06:58 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 07:41 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 08:37 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 08:54 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-28-2019, 12:18 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-28-2019, 12:40 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-29-2019, 01:51 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-29-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 06:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 06:47 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 08:16 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 08:34 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 12:14 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 12:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 01:22 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 02:11 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 02:29 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 03:05 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 03:33 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 03:57 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-30-2019, 04:15 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-30-2019, 10:46 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-31-2019, 02:52 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 10-31-2019, 09:15 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 10-31-2019, 09:33 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 09:25 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 09:53 AM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 01:16 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 01:42 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 02:13 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 02:25 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 02:44 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 02:54 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 03:33 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 03:48 PM
RE: Beg Mercy [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 04:50 PM