IP: 95.148.69.66
Posted on May 4, 2013 at 11:38:13 PM by a r t h u r
 I wonder if raptors would spit his robes out after they’d eaten him? Tristan thought to himself ponderously, I bet they’d leave the broach. We could give it to Thoth. It was unfortunate, the Prince sighed, that his Father wouldn’t consent to feeding envoys to marsh monsters. Tristan however was certain that there should be exceptions to every rule, and Sir Walter definitely fell into that category. Prig. Arthur however, was still smiling, in fact, perhaps more so than he had been before. Sir Walter was certainly intelligent, and well-practiced, the King would grant him that, but he was yet to do or say anything surprising. He reminded him distinctly of the Bishop of Ely. He was the same sort of man, the kind you would be unwise not to listen to when he wanted the same thing as you, but to be handled carefully when he didn’t. Neither made for very restful company. It was unfortunate for Sir Walter that he, unlike the Bishop that had come before him, was not meeting Arthur at the age of seventeen. "I think that was a little impolitic, Sir Walter," Arthur said, "perhaps if you had given me the impression that you intended to adjust your underlying stance at all, I might have been willing to do the same." He paused, fixing the churchman with a piercing stare, “you are a determined man...men of faith often are. What would you say of Kings?” It wasn’t really a question, his meaning was clear. The Bishop had always been especially skilled at such things...Arthur supposed he had something to thank him for after all. There was an extended pause after Walter had delivered his final proposal. Tristan fixed his eyes upon his Father, for the first time unsure of what the King’s reaction would be. “You seem not to understand me, Sir Walter,” he said finally, “my priority is Thoth’s safety, but it is also to ensure that he always has a choice. We all deserve that.” Taking another sip of wine he allowed for another pause, “your organisation is of course more than welcome to participate in the unlikely circumstance that a rescue attempt is required. I however, am a man of action. I will not sit idly by whilst a child is in danger and I am in the position to aid them. However, provided that Thoth is still free to choose which world he resides on, then I would concede to your organisation a greater control over the security surrounding the boy.” The Kings tone of voice shifted for his next words, “I warn you now. If Thoth is ever forcibly removed from my care and I discover that your organisation have had some hand in it then I will consider any arrangement made between us null and void.” His turn to be impolitic, perhaps, but clarity was a greater asset than propriety. It was a pitfall in determined people, that sometimes they were prepared to stray from the straight and narrow in order to achieve their ends. Arthur knew it to be true of himself, and he was equally convinced that it was true of Sir Walter. “I have two final conditions,” the King continued, holding up two fingers, “firstly, I wish for your institution to corroborate with envoys of my own in order to draw up a written agreement between our two parties. It will not be valid until we have both read and signed it.” He lowered one finger slowly before moving on to the next. "I would ask that before anyone is dispatched here that you first send me their credentials. If I am satisfied, I will send a licence under royal seal to grant their attendance. A formality, I hope you understand, and I will happily accommodate them in my castle if they require it.” Lowering his second finger Arthur placed his hands upon the table top before him. He needed to speak to Mallos. He reached out to Pendragon and told the merlin to find, and watch, Thoth. “I will request that Tsi forwards all your correspondence directly to me in the future. I hope that will make things easier.” The King nodded his head once in a nod of dismissal, “Thank you, Sir Walter.”  |
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