Failure is always an option.

Adam Savage

Nymus

I changed the title of Huinain from riser to Steiger. I correct the previous chapters successively.

"Captain Klien. How very gratifying that you have found time to join Us."

"At your service, Your Majesty."

"We hope you are well, dear Captain. How is the family? All safe and sound? It would be dreadful if they were not?"

"I am well, your majesty. My family has no cause for complaint. All are in the best of health. Thank you very much for asking, Your Majesty."

"Then if all is well, Captain Klien, surely you can enlighten Us as to how it came about that I need a new chamberlain? Can't you, Captain?"

"Baron de Kurdal acted rashly, Your Majesty. I fear he was confused when he heard of the untenable rumors. This loss is most regrettable, Your Majesty; Baron de Kurdal was an excellent chamberlain."

"Save your praise, Klien. Frederique was Our Chamberlain only because we sat next to each other in school. He knew nothing about money, and you are well aware of that. So stop lying to Us, Klien."

"At your service, Your Majesty. Baron de Kurdal acted completely in panic. We are still lucky that Lady Laura does not interpret Baron de Kurdal's attack as an act of war. However, her timing gives me pause. The declaration just before the attack is just too well timed to be accidental. So well, in fact, that I fear Lady Laura was pulling the strings behind the scenes. The brutality observed by my people is simply unprecedented. And, Your Majesty, had I been asked before, I would not have given anyone on Lady Laura's side a chance of survival against a hundred men. At least not if they had not immediately taken flight. After this massacre, she has been nicknamed the "Goddess of Death" among my people. At present, I am having very great difficulty getting anyone at all to keep an eye on her, Your Majesty."

"Where did Frederique get so much gold, Captain? Mercenaries are not cheap, otherwise We would have hired a great many by now."

"Your Majesty paid for the mercenaries. And it was not a small amount. This particular mercenary company is known for its high prices."

"Frederique helped himself to the treasury?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. From what I have been able to examine of the books, the baron has been putting gold into his own pockets or paying his bill with it since he became chamberlain. Regrettably, your majesty."

"How did these rumors come about, Captain? It didn't take much for the queen to turn on Us. We were just able to plead Our innocence."

"It's a bit of a mystery, Your Majesty. What I was able to find out was that shouters in the market were spreading it among the people. Apparently the documents were genuine. However, before we were able to look into it, the market was empty and all the notices removed. It frustrates me not to be able to report anything more specific to you, Your Majesty."

"Lady Laura let you walk into the knife, Father. And de Kurdal was too stupid to see the trap. At least now there is one idiot less in your service. If you had been a little smarter, your friend might still be alive and you would still have a chamberlain. By which I do not necessarily mean de Kurdal, father."

"Do you agree with my daughter, Captain Klien?"

"I think Your daughter is right, Your Majesty. We just won't be able to prove it. And even if we can, there's nothing we can do. The baron was the attacker, and attacking an embassy and the Ambassadress was unapologetically - foolish, Your Majesty."

"The Hag is responsible and there's nothing I can do about it. Maddening."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Victoria. Take care of the rest. I need some peace and calm. A walk will do me good."

"Very well, Father."

"Your Majesty."

"We have a problem, Captain Klien."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Be more careful, Captain. The walls in the palace are thin."

"Very well, Your Highness."

"We have two questions to answer, Captain. Should We and can We do anything about Lady Laura? Be honest. It does Us no good to get bad advice."

"Your Highness, should be extremely careful. I see no way to act against Lady Laura at this time without taking an incalculable risk. If the heroes, and as many as possible, were to stand directly behind Your Highness, violent action might be possible. But I see the chances of success as low. It is better that Your Highness refrain from this solution."

"What is left for Us, Captain Klien?"

"Allies, Your Highness."

"Who would be an ally for Us, Captain Klien?"

"Orlomen, Your Highness. Prince Sergei Narmanoff is still unmarried. The Tsarina would be happy to agree to a political marriage. The elves are not interested in humans. But perhaps Your Highness can persuade them to form an alliance."

"What about the dwarves, Captain Klien?"

"The Steiger is still unmarried, Your Highness. But the reactions of the other realms are imponderable. So far, the dwarves have always been neutral in disputes. Any change in the balance must be carefully weighed, Your Highness."

"Other options for Us, Captain Klien?"

"Nagronde is very difficult, Your Highness. No one can really judge in which direction the Pfaffen are turning. Moreover, I have heard strange rumors. According to them, the Pope has sent the Inquisition to investigate rumors of hero summons."

"You do not give Us much hope, Captain Klien."

"Forgive me, Your Highness."

"We could still give Ourselves over to Lady Laura, Captain. Don't tell Us you've overlooked that option."

"No, Your Highness. Submitting to Lady Laura would have advantages. But Your Highness already know, Lady Laura would then be our Queen in everything but name, not you, Your Highness."

"We understand, Captain Klien. We will talk to Our Parents and travel to Orlomen. We will make a detour to Steiger Huinain. And you, Captain Klien, will accompany Us. Before we decide, We need a sense of the options open to Us."

"At your service, Your Majesty!"

"Captain!"

"Pardon me, Your Highness."