Dalt-Jeweled Amber - Revision history

Tolknor at 17:31, 1 November 2024

2024-11-01T17:31:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:31, 1 November 2024
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	I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.		I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.

	I was buggered from the moment I said Go. It was a disaster of the first water and I was the most buggered of them all. It looked so smooth on paper. The day before, though, I got a bird of desire from King Random. That should have been a clue. I keep the note he wrote in my wallet. It said;" I was thinking of you today. Lets talk at your earliest connivance. Random." (Its been asked if i meant, ''convenience''. No, Random wrote ''connivance'')		I was buggered from the moment I said Go. It was a disaster of the first water and I was the most buggered of them all. It looked so smooth on paper. The day before, though, I got a bird of desire from King Random. That should have been a clue. I keep the note he wrote in my wallet. It said;" I was thinking of you today. Lets talk at your earliest connivance. Random." <span style=color:green>(Its been asked if i meant, ''convenience''. No, Random wrote ''connivance'')</span style>

	It turned out my earliest connivance was the next day. I rode out of Kien's manor; my troops assembled and began our march on Vale Eye. We came down to the Gates of Dawn and sitting between them, playing a lute, was the King of Amber, smiling.		It turned out my earliest connivance was the next day. I rode out of Kien's manor; my troops assembled and began our march on Vale Eye. We came down to the Gates of Dawn and sitting between them, playing a lute, was the King of Amber, smiling.

Tolknor at 17:29, 1 November 2024

2024-11-01T17:29:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 1 November 2024
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	I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.		I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.

	I was buggered from the moment I said Go. It was a disaster of the first water and I was the most buggered of them all. It looked so smooth on paper. The day before, though, I got a bird of desire from King Random. That should have been a clue. I keep the note he wrote in my wallet. It said;" I was thinking of you today. Lets talk at your earliest connivance. Random."		I was buggered from the moment I said Go. It was a disaster of the first water and I was the most buggered of them all. It looked so smooth on paper. The day before, though, I got a bird of desire from King Random. That should have been a clue. I keep the note he wrote in my wallet. It said;" I was thinking of you today. Lets talk at your earliest connivance. Random." (Its been asked if i meant, ''convenience''. No, Random wrote ''connivance'')

	It turned out my earliest connivance was the next day. I rode out of Kien's manor; my troops assembled and began our march on Vale Eye. We came down to the Gates of Dawn and sitting between them, playing a lute, was the King of Amber, smiling.		It turned out my earliest connivance was the next day. I rode out of Kien's manor; my troops assembled and began our march on Vale Eye. We came down to the Gates of Dawn and sitting between them, playing a lute, was the King of Amber, smiling.

Tolknor at 21:31, 23 April 2021

2021-04-23T21:31:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 23 April 2021
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	It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.		It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.

	Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany ~~him~~. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with Benedict and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.		Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany me to see it. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with Benedict and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.

	I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.		I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.

Tolknor at 21:31, 23 April 2021

2021-04-23T21:31:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 23 April 2021
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	It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.		It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.

	Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany me. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with Benedict and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.		Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany him. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with Benedict and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.

	I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.		I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.

Tolknor at 21:24, 23 April 2021

2021-04-23T21:24:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:24, 23 April 2021
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	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="5"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>		<div class="center" style="width: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="5"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>

	[[File:D-dalt1.jpg]]		[[File:D-dalt1.jpg]]</div class="center" style="width: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">

	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="3">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="3">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.

Tolknor at 21:22, 23 April 2021

2021-04-23T21:22:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:22, 23 April 2021
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	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="5"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="5"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>

	-~~---~~		[[File:D-dalt1.jpg]]

	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="3">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="3">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.

Tolknor at 21:21, 23 April 2021

2021-04-23T21:21:04Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:21, 23 April 2021
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	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="6"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="5"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>

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	<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="4">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="3">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.

	At least, that was the plan till I met Julian at the Gates of Dawn.		At least, that was the plan till I met Julian at the Gates of Dawn.

Tolknor at 18:50, 14 December 2020

2020-12-14T18:50:07Z

Tolknor at 18:48, 14 December 2020

2020-12-14T18:48:55Z

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	<big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="6"><big>Dalt at the Gates of Dawn</big>

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Salinea: Reverted edits by BROFLAKE MAD (talk) to last revision by Tolknor

2020-01-17T22:07:11Z

Reverted edits by BROFLAKE MAD (talk) to last revision by Tolknor

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← Older revision		Revision as of 18:50, 14 December 2020
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	King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.		<Font Face="Comic Sans MS"><Font Size ="4">King Random has commanded me to write this. I am not a writer by bent but I can at least tell of what has brought me to this dour point bereft of the will to dominate and suddenly clasped to the very beating bosom of my dreaded and hated foe. I am a soldier, a mercenary, and the son of Oberon by his rape of my mother, Delee the Desecratix. I am Dalt of Eregnor, also of Kashfa. It has been my dedicated purpose to conquer and humble Amber before all the peoples of shadow, I the Lion, rending the unicorn unto death.

	At least, that was the plan till I met Julian at the Gates of Dawn.		At least, that was the plan till I met Julian at the Gates of Dawn.
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	It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.		It is hard to call Amber my dreaded foe as I sit here on the Sea View Garden Balcony. Randis, a waiter I now know by name, just brought me a cappuccino, a coffee drink I used to drink on Earth with my friend Luke. Luke? Call him King Rinaldo of Kashfa, a newly anointed Golden Circle King. I have a plate of bagels and onion spread on my left, lox and salami in a little tray on the right. Tabasco and soy in bottles ahead of me.

	Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany me. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with ~~Benendict~~ and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.		Bleys just walked by and told me he had a play opening at one of his theaters and said Sophia Urien thought I was 'just dreamy' and would love to accompany me. He left me tickets. Yesterday I was hunting in Arden with Julian. We each took a Manticore. Later today I have a security briefing with Benedict and Gerard. Afterwards Flora is taking me into town. There she and I will meet with carpenters and decorators who will be outfitting my rooms in Castle Amber and with a tailor who will prepare formal wear for court, and she wants to take me to this café that has mellow jazz. Tomorrow I am going sailing with Caine. He said he knows a place where the marlins are running and they are as big as great white sharks.

	I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.		I sit dumbfounded. I have been in Amber for one week.

	Fishing with Caine? Briefings with ~~Benendict~~ and Gerard? Theater with Bleys and Sophia? Hunting in Arden? Shopping with Flora? Calmly drinking coffee overlooking the sea?		Fishing with Caine? Briefings with Benedict and Gerard? Theater with Bleys and Sophia? Hunting in Arden? Shopping with Flora? Calmly drinking coffee overlooking the sea?

	What got me here? Fighting with Julian at the Gates of Dawn.		What got me here? Fighting with Julian at the Gates of Dawn.
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	We had planned a subtle attack. My troops were to spend as long as 3 years establishing housing, warehouses, dock space, even purchase available manor houses if possible. We had one, belonging to Lord Wildof Kien, sent off to live in splendor, in shadow, on my gold. We began stockpiling supplies, making maps. In two years over a thousand of my advance scouts became upstanding merchants in Vale Eye and Ober. I began assembling my advance forces. My other forces in shadow were well hidden, trained to a peak, and ready to come to Amber as conquerors.		We had planned a subtle attack. My troops were to spend as long as 3 years establishing housing, warehouses, dock space, even purchase available manor houses if possible. We had one, belonging to Lord Wildof Kien, sent off to live in splendor, in shadow, on my gold. We began stockpiling supplies, making maps. In two years over a thousand of my advance scouts became upstanding merchants in Vale Eye and Ober. I began assembling my advance forces. My other forces in shadow were well hidden, trained to a peak, and ready to come to Amber as conquerors.

	That was the plan. All plans have flaws and the careful general finds them and patches them. I have always been a careful general and a skilled patch-maker. It turns out, ~~Benendict~~ is a more careful general than I.		That was the plan. All plans have flaws and the careful general finds them and patches them. I have always been a careful general and a skilled patch-maker. It turns out, Benedict is a more careful general than I.

	I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.		I was not bloodthirsty enough. I should have killed Wildof Kien. It turns out that the retired pensioner was not nearly the enemy of Amber he portrayed himself to be. He had hastened to tell Prince Caine right before I shipped him off to shadow, bedecked in jewels, and riding a cartload of gold and Mithril. Caine had begun infiltrating troops into my forces. They became the friends, business associates, next-door neighbors, and paramours of my troops. Caine, who as third in command of the Navy of Amber has the worst cover story for his real job of Spy-Master I have ever heard, had put at least two people to watch each of mine. My little manor had cooks, gardeners, and gamesman, hired locally, who were all on Caine's payroll. Benedict had a half a million men and 7 bloody starships watching my armies in shadow.
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	Did I know that Wildof Kien was actually Baron William Feldane, second spy of Amber and soon to be Chief of the elite Amber Guard? No, I did not. That fact had eluded me.		Did I know that Wildof Kien was actually Baron William Feldane, second spy of Amber and soon to be Chief of the elite Amber Guard? No, I did not. That fact had eluded me.

	My kinsmen were there too. ~~Benendict~~-stoic, Gerard-angry, Caine-scowling, Julian-smiling, Bleys-drunk.		My kinsmen were there too. Benedict-stoic, Gerard-angry, Caine-scowling, Julian-smiling, Bleys-drunk.

	They grabbed me before I could take my own life, the pistol yanked from my hand unfired.		They grabbed me before I could take my own life, the pistol yanked from my hand unfired.
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	He motioned to Bleys who painfully stripped the tape from my mouth.		He motioned to Bleys who painfully stripped the tape from my mouth.

	''"Doesn't sound like much of a deal. Sounds rigged to me. You call on ~~Benendict~~ to thrash me and it pretty much assures I lose. If you want to kill me just do it. Prove thy blood, monarch."''		''"Doesn't sound like much of a deal. Sounds rigged to me. You call on Benedict to thrash me and it pretty much assures I lose. If you want to kill me just do it. Prove thy blood, monarch."''

	''"Man you are a piss-cutter, Dalt. You have the hero syndrome for sure. That is a wasteful condition. I don't have enough kin that I can just off the ones who tick me off. I certainly could use another hero type around here. I have Gerard and Julian stretched pretty tight with the kingdom defenses. Ben runs the military; I run the rest. Flora, much to my chagrin, is doing a surprisingly good job keeping the nobles off my back. I believe I can find a place for you around here partly because I don't need grief from a guy pissed off at Oberon. The guy is dead and the show is mine. You got a beef with me; let me know and we can deal."''		''"Man you are a piss-cutter, Dalt. You have the hero syndrome for sure. That is a wasteful condition. I don't have enough kin that I can just off the ones who tick me off. I certainly could use another hero type around here. I have Gerard and Julian stretched pretty tight with the kingdom defenses. Ben runs the military; I run the rest. Flora, much to my chagrin, is doing a surprisingly good job keeping the nobles off my back. I believe I can find a place for you around here partly because I don't need grief from a guy pissed off at Oberon. The guy is dead and the show is mine. You got a beef with me; let me know and we can deal."''
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	Bleys, who had fought his way up Kolvir, nearly conquered Amber, and was surely the second toughest man alive, was nearly as deadly. But he was drunk these days, I could see him sway as he stood there and when he had spoke he smelled of scotch. I gauged his steadiness. It occurred to me that I had seen drunks take terrible beatings and walk away from them. I didn't want to face a man who was that tough and couldn't feel pain to boot.		Bleys, who had fought his way up Kolvir, nearly conquered Amber, and was surely the second toughest man alive, was nearly as deadly. But he was drunk these days, I could see him sway as he stood there and when he had spoke he smelled of scotch. I gauged his steadiness. It occurred to me that I had seen drunks take terrible beatings and walk away from them. I didn't want to face a man who was that tough and couldn't feel pain to boot.

	Caine, a possibility. Thin, wiry, fast, a master of the knife. I knew little of him because he was not the front ranker I expected to face, and as a naval man I had not expected to see him here. I realized then that he, more than the others, had defeated me this day. My troops infiltrated, subverted, captured, he had even arranged which manor I would buy, and whom my merchant-spies would do business with. I decided that he might have a trick or two I didn't know about. He was undoubtedly the master of the monastical martial arts and I had seen ~~ninjitsu~~ and karate masters kill with a simple touch.		Caine, a possibility. Thin, wiry, fast, a master of the knife. I knew little of him because he was not the front ranker I expected to face, and as a naval man I had not expected to see him here. I realized then that he, more than the others, had defeated me this day. My troops infiltrated, subverted, captured, he had even arranged which manor I would buy, and whom my merchant-spies would do business with. I decided that he might have a trick or two I didn't know about. He was undoubtedly the master of the monastical martial arts and I had seen ninjutsu and karate masters kill with a simple touch.

	Gerard? No. Not in a fist fight. I had never realized just how big his arms were till now.		Gerard? No. Not in a fist fight. I had never realized just how big his arms were till now.