Is 'steadfast' how you're feeling at the moment? Or did someone beat you at scrabble by playing that word against you? ;-) I hope Miles is feeling better and better!
Steadfast After a moment the King spoke. "I can tell you what I don't want," he said. "That is very often easier. I do not want to be beholden to the King in Yellow. And do not challenge me on this; you will find I can be as steadfast as the cliffs of Dover and as enduring as the rocks of Carcosa. In my position I must be extremely certain of what help I accept, and, begging its Other Majesty's pardon of course, this is not help I may accept. Ever." There was the prickling of brain-frost again and the smell of vanilla custard was so strong that Samual's eyes bulged and his stomach spasmed as he tried not to throw up. For a moment it looked like he might fail, then he got himself under control. "I fear for the cats of London," said the King, his tone as dry as Lord Derby's preferred white wine. "But I am relieved that its Other Majesty has not taken offence." He rubbed his forehead idly, almost laconically, and only Lord Derby noticed that a faint sheen of sweat that had been there was rubbed away. "There is still the issue of the Narwhal's horn," said Gray. This had been nagging at him since he arrived and had been told about it, and it was bothering him all the more now that he realised that King in Yellow seemed never to speak. How, he wondered, did the King know about this? Samual, who had stopped swallowing hard and looked more controlled now, frowned. Lord Derby, however, spoke. "An artefact," he said. "Brought back from somewhere in India in the mid-1800s when we were building an Empire, if you believe one set of historians, or plundering a continent if you believe a different set. Not a lot is known about it; even where it was found has three different tellings and they all make quite different claims. However, all the geographic locations described are far inland which makes it vanishingly improbably that it's an actual Narwhal-horn. It was studied for about ten years by the Lord Magical Katryana and then given as a present to the then Queen, Catherine III. It was put with the Crown Jewels on suspicion of being valuable and has been largely ignored since." "Thank-you, Derby," said the King. "Do you know the history of every artefact in the Palace?" "I try, milord," said Lord Derby. "It is a hobby; something to pass the time when I might otherwise be bored." "You have time to get bored?" The King smiled. "I can't be giving you enough work to do. Yes, that horn. The King in Yellow wants it, and it occurs to me that while I may not accept a gift from him, a trade would be acceptable. One thing for another, no strings attached." "Your majesty!" Gray was on his feet. "You can't give away artefacts when we don't know what they do!" "How many artefacts are there in the Palace whose purpose we've not ascertained?" asked the King. "A little under four hundred," said Lord Derby. It sounded automatic, as though he was asked the question a lot. "Then we can," said the King, and there was a note of finality in the way he said "we" that Gray did not miss. He sat back down, saying nothing. "In exchange for the horn," said the King, "I would like a record of everything Labdaris has done since he came to your Other Majesty's attention."
Greg - he seems to be fully on the road to recovery now. Not that I can remember what inspired this prompt...
Hmm. The reasons for wanting that horn still intrigue me. And worry me more than a little. Though what is being asked for in return eases those fears somewhat.
2 comments:
Is 'steadfast' how you're feeling at the moment? Or did someone beat you at scrabble by playing that word against you? ;-) I hope Miles is feeling better and better!
Steadfast
After a moment the King spoke. "I can tell you what I don't want," he said. "That is very often easier. I do not want to be beholden to the King in Yellow. And do not challenge me on this; you will find I can be as steadfast as the cliffs of Dover and as enduring as the rocks of Carcosa. In my position I must be extremely certain of what help I accept, and, begging its Other Majesty's pardon of course, this is not help I may accept. Ever."
There was the prickling of brain-frost again and the smell of vanilla custard was so strong that Samual's eyes bulged and his stomach spasmed as he tried not to throw up. For a moment it looked like he might fail, then he got himself under control.
"I fear for the cats of London," said the King, his tone as dry as Lord Derby's preferred white wine. "But I am relieved that its Other Majesty has not taken offence." He rubbed his forehead idly, almost laconically, and only Lord Derby noticed that a faint sheen of sweat that had been there was rubbed away.
"There is still the issue of the Narwhal's horn," said Gray. This had been nagging at him since he arrived and had been told about it, and it was bothering him all the more now that he realised that King in Yellow seemed never to speak. How, he wondered, did the King know about this?
Samual, who had stopped swallowing hard and looked more controlled now, frowned. Lord Derby, however, spoke.
"An artefact," he said. "Brought back from somewhere in India in the mid-1800s when we were building an Empire, if you believe one set of historians, or plundering a continent if you believe a different set. Not a lot is known about it; even where it was found has three different tellings and they all make quite different claims. However, all the geographic locations described are far inland which makes it vanishingly improbably that it's an actual Narwhal-horn. It was studied for about ten years by the Lord Magical Katryana and then given as a present to the then Queen, Catherine III. It was put with the Crown Jewels on suspicion of being valuable and has been largely ignored since."
"Thank-you, Derby," said the King. "Do you know the history of every artefact in the Palace?"
"I try, milord," said Lord Derby. "It is a hobby; something to pass the time when I might otherwise be bored."
"You have time to get bored?" The King smiled. "I can't be giving you enough work to do. Yes, that horn. The King in Yellow wants it, and it occurs to me that while I may not accept a gift from him, a trade would be acceptable. One thing for another, no strings attached."
"Your majesty!" Gray was on his feet. "You can't give away artefacts when we don't know what they do!"
"How many artefacts are there in the Palace whose purpose we've not ascertained?" asked the King.
"A little under four hundred," said Lord Derby. It sounded automatic, as though he was asked the question a lot.
"Then we can," said the King, and there was a note of finality in the way he said "we" that Gray did not miss. He sat back down, saying nothing.
"In exchange for the horn," said the King, "I would like a record of everything Labdaris has done since he came to your Other Majesty's attention."
Greg - he seems to be fully on the road to recovery now. Not that I can remember what inspired this prompt...
Hmm. The reasons for wanting that horn still intrigue me. And worry me more than a little. Though what is being asked for in return eases those fears somewhat.
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