The Mage in the Iron Mask - Brian Thomsen [12]
"Wonderful."
"She spends most of her time back in Eltabbar, and he's been known to continue to play the rogue with the wandering eye despite their matrimonial vows. She visits here three times a year. I believe she just arrived yesterday for her most recent visit. Both sides claim that they were wedded due to their mutual respect and love for each other, but I wonder."
"The problem with you, Volo," Passepout said sagely, "is that you are no longer a romantic. If she just arrived back in town yesterday, I bet we won't see hide nor hair of either of them for a while. This is obviously a case of true love winning out despite personal differences in upbringing and breeding. I'll bet they can't wait to see each other."
Volo chuckled at his friend's naivete.
"If you say so, my friend," the gazetteer replied.
"True love conquers all," the thespian spouted.
The master traveler took another quaff of ale, and was instantly reminded of the message he had once read from a Kara Turan fate biscuit that was capable of more believable profundity than his corpulent companion's observation.
Volo thought aloud to himself, "I wonder how the newlyweds are getting along."
Passepout resumed eating.
2
Newlywed Games
In the High Blade's Study in the Tower of the Wyvern:
He was alone in his private study, a room secret to all but his closest advisors (which did not include his wife, the Tharchioness). His robes of silk and fur already smelled of tobacco and musk.
Selfaril Voumdolphin was in deep thought.
The resemblance was striking. It was almost like looking in a mirror. True he had the bearing and build of a weakling, as most wizards did, and his whiskers and his mane were more akin to a hermit's than the well-maintained locks and beard of the High Blade, but in all other respects this young man was the High Blade's perfect twin.
Damn you, father, he thought to himself, cursing his sire. You were almost the perfect High Blade, always with a secret backup plan to assure your own ascendancy and that of your line. We were alike in many ways. No wonder I had to kill you. Had I not acted fortuitously, you would, no doubt, have discerned my future plans and plotted to replace me with your other son. We are alike in many ways, but I am the better High Blade.
He heard the bookcase that functioned as a secret door move, and assumed that Rickman had returned, as the Hawk commander was the only one other than himself who knew how to work that entrance. He did not bother to turn around. Such things as common courtesy were not required of the High Blade.
"The resemblance was uncanny," Selfaril muttered.
"Yes, your majesty," Rickman agreed. "Donal, that chancre, wasn't lying."
"Imagine his gall," Selfaril said, finally turning to face his one-eyed right-hand man. "First, he betrayed the Retreat and offered the young mage to the agents of my dear bride, and then, not satisfied with the price they offered, he came to us for a better deal."
"For which you were more than willing to comply, sire," the Hawk assented. "They offered him amnesty, we offered him wealth."
"And neither of us planned on keeping our word, anyway. Donal was a fool, and a greedy one at that."
"Agreed, your majesty, but his shortcomings were definitely our advantage."
"Indeed," the High Blade agreed, taking a seat in a chair that had been one of his father's favorites. "Have you taken care of the rest of the loose ends?"
"Yes, sire," the Hawk captain assured. "A company of my best men have just returned from the Retreat. They gained entrance under the pretence of investigating the apparent Thayan raid of the night before. The elders were ever so grateful for a prompt response to the attack, and offered my men their full cooperation. With their guard down, it was relatively easy for my Hawks to carry out your orders."
"All slaughtered, then?"
"Yes, sire."
The High Blade tapped his forefinger to his temple as if to force out a single drop of thought. "I hope that there weren't too many other