Chapter 75

 Aboard the Maelstrom, a lonely figure took a pause in its pacing back and forth across the deck, to stare longingly towards the harbor. The Figure, a heavy-set, blue-furred member of the feline family, thought with envy of his fellow crewmen, now currently living it up in one of the area's pleasure establishments. He would have liked to be in their shoes, but unfortunately for him, being the newest addition to the crew,  meant that the Captain had selected him to stay guard over the ship.

His stomach growling, the cat went over to a nearby barrel and took from it a dried herring.  Unfortunately, he barely got to savor this meager repast, for just as he had swallowed down the fish's head, something struck him on the back of his head, and such was the force of the blow, that it immediately pulled a veil down over his eyes and caused his legs to give out underneath him.

It was, of course, none other than Jeraddin who had caused the cat to take this involuntary nap. As he massaged his paw, the lynx looked down at the unconscious form at his feet and, while doing so, thought back on the days of his youth, when he would lead small groups of soldiers in raids on Frigonian camps. It was comforting to know that the on-set of middle-age had not diminished his skill at taking an unsuspecting sentry by surprise.

Of course, we slit the Frigonian guard's throats rather than knocking them unconscious, Jeraddin mused. Red on steel, red on claws. Gruesome business. You can count yourself lucky that its peace-time and that you are a  civilian and a Vinolian citizen. Still, I had better take some additional precautions, in case you'd come to while I'm still aboard. 

Taking a look around the deck, Jeraddin soon found what he was looking for: A rope, which he used to tie the cat's paws together behind his back. This task accomplished, the lynx set about exploring the ship. Jeraddin knew that the Captain's quarters were usually located right under the bridge and indeed, there was a door right there. A door which turned out to be locked. Jeraddin thought about searching the cat's pockets, but decided that that would be a waste of time. After all, Cerewan would hardly have entrusted the keys to the cabin to one of his crew, instead of taking them with him. He briefly considered to search the ship for a crowbar, or some other kind of tool with which to get the door open, but decided that it would eat up too much time and time was something Jeraddin did not wish to waste.

Had Jeraddin been a burglar, he would have carried a set of lock-picks with which to open any door. But, of course, he was not one and therefore had none.

With no other alternative left to him, Jeraddin decided to resort to brute force. Bracing himself, the lynx  gave the door a hard tackle, putting all his strength behind it. One more go was all it took for the hinges to give and the door to come crashing down. After a quick look over his shoulder, to make sure that the noise had not waken the cat, or attracted any attention from the harbor,  Jeraddin entered Cerewan's sanctum.

Inside, Jeraddin's gaze swept past the unmade bed and  the chest containing what was no doubt the Captain's clothes and other personal belongings, but rested on the small bookcase, containing a strongbox, a logbook and two black ledgers. 

Jeraddin first picked up the strongbox and gave it a shake. The Rattling sound made it obvious that it only contained money. He put it back, took out the logbook and leafed through it, but could find nothing incriminating in it. Disappointed, but still hopeful, he took out one of the ledgers. It was marked 'Merchandise: Earnings'.

This seems promising.

However, upon opening the ledger, all the lynx met with was a blank page. A quick look confirmed that all the pages were blank. Frustrated, Jeraddin took out the other ledger, marked 'Expenses'. 

Same thing there. How was this possible? Jeraddin scratched his head in bewilderment. He refused to believe that Cerewan had simply not written anything in either ledger and yet, there was nothing there. Unless....

Jeraddin went over to the chest and opened it. Inside he found what he was looking for; a tinder-box and a candle. He carried these items and the ledgers over to the Captain's table and sat down. 

Having lit the candle, the lynx opened the first ledger and held the flame close to the page, making sure that they did not come into contact with each other. Gradually, letters became visible. 

Jeraddin had to bite down on his tongue to suppress a sudden urge to shout 'Hurrah!, his hunch had been correct. He proceeded to do the same to each of the ledger's pages, until its secrets were revealed to him. On each page rows and rows of names were written and next to each name, a species and a sum. 

These must be the poor wretches Cerewan delivered to the slave-market, Jeraddin thought, with a heavy heart. Then, he saw one name and although he had been prepared for it, it made his insides turn cold:

Risha Lynx 2 silver 50 bronze.

With a ferocious expression on his face, Jeraddin slammed the ledger shut. He had seen enough. As for the other ledger, he had a hunch that it contained the bribes Cerewan had to pay, not just to the authorities to keep them from putting their nose in his business, but also to other scoundrels, more powerful than he himself.

Jeraddin picked up the ledgers and hid them under his shirt. He was just about to leave, only to get a most unwelcome surprise: 

Standing in the doorway was the cat, holding a flintlock pistol whose muzzle was pointed straight at Jeraddin.

"So, you are the mangy cur responsible for my headache. You have three seconds to tell me your business here and then, I'll shoo..."

With a roar, Jeraddin leaped towards the cat and, before the latter had time to react had wrenched the gun out of his paw. Jeraddin bent down to pick up the weapon, but by now, the cat had regained his composure and with a furious meow, threw himself on top of the lynx. The Two adversaries rolled around on the floor, teeth biting, claws scratching. During their fight, they crashed violently into the table, causing the still lit candle to fall to the floor. The Flame did not  go out, instead it spread across the floor, growing in size the more dust-bunnies it consumed. 

Suddenly, the cat let out a pained howl and rushed out of the cabin, the tip of his tail on fire. As for Jeraddin, he was frantically searching for the ledgers, which he had dropped during the brawl. There they were! Already being licked by the flames. Quickly, Jeraddin snatched a blanket from the Captain's cot and smothered the flames with it.

Unfortunately, Jeraddin discovered his dismay that one of the ledgers had been practically burnt to the crisp. However, the other was still in decent condition, only somewhat singed in the corners. Jeraddin picked it up and, clutching it tightly to his chest, the lynx left the cabin and headed down the Maelstrom's gangplank, as quickly as his feet could carry him, barely paying attention to the splashing sound coming from the water below.

****

In a tavern not far from where the Maelstrom was anchored, her Captain and most of her crew, were busy enjoying themselves, when the tavern-doors suddenly flew open and a young water-rat, visibly out of breath rushed inside.

"Cap'n Cerewan, come quickly!" The Youth gasped, looking at the tiger. "Your ship, its on fire!"

"You little...." Cerewan grabbed hold off the messenger's collar. "If this is a joke, you'll live to regret it."

"No joke, Cap'n" the water-rat protested, his voice trembling slightly. "I swear."

"You better not" Cerewan growled. He let go of the water-rat and turned to his crew. "Alright, men, break it up! We're leaving!"

As one the crew dropped everything they were doing and, followed their Captain out the door. Once outside, the smell of something burning hung in the air, invading their nostrils. A smell that came in the direction of the Maelstrom. Cerewan's striped face turned white with rage, whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly.

****

Only when he was finally back inside his own home did Jeraddin become aware of how exhausted tonight's events had made him.

No doubt, age is catching up on, you old boy, he thought, as he headed for his bedroom. 

Once there, the lynx had barely removed his boots, before he collapsed on top of the bed. Next morning, Flora came and knocked on his bedroom door, as per instructions. And, when she not get an answered, stepped inside and found the General sound asleep, still wearing his clothes, using what looked like a black ledger as a pillow.

The Last Goodbye

 From the private journal of Her Royal Highness, Argath. Crown-Princess of Vinoli:

Maja's funeral was held today. As I traveled there, to say my last goodbye, I noticed that the sky was blue and the sun shone brightly. This vexed me; on a day like this, when such a precious life is taken away, the heavens themselves ought to cry with grief. 

As for me, the last time I felt this miserable was when I received news of my brother's death. However, in one way, this one is worse. Unlike Argeron, Maja died of natural causes and, as a consequence, there's no-one I can hold responsible. No-one I can take out my loss on.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, I told Lorenzo to wait in the carriage. At the gates, I was met by Maja's son Felix, his wife Lucinda and their twin sons, who were hiding behind their mother's skirts. Felix took a step forward.

"Thank you for coming, Your Highness" he said and he and the rest of his family all bowed (or, in Lucinda's case, curtsied). "It means a lot."

"Of course" I replied. "My condolences."

I took Felix' and then Lucinda's hands in mine. Their eyes began to fill up with tears and so, did my own. I let the tears flow down my cheeks, figuring that they were the last ones I would ever shed. Eventually, we wiped all our tears away and proceeded towards the small temple, which could be seen not to far away.

This temple was one of those that are not dedicated to a single deity. Instead, various religions and cults take turn making use of it. Maja had been a devotee of the Goddess Vristlar and so, it was one of her priests that would oversee the funeral ceremony. 

Inside the temple, several villagers had gathered to pay their last respects. As soon as we entered, they all rose in their pews. I noticed that my appearance caused something of a stir in their midst, with several of them staring at me. Not that I blame them. On the contrary, I find it to be a natural reaction when in the presence of a superior being.

We went up to the front-row seats. To the right of the altar, I could glimpse Maja's casket. A fine-looking thing, hewn from dark wood. I gave Felix an approving look; here was a son any mother could be proud of. As soon as we were seated, the priest cleared his throat and began his speech. 

It was a pretty good speech, I suppose. The Priest talked at great length about what a fantastic person Maja had been and how much she would missed by those who had known her. From the pews behind me, I could hear sobbing. 

While the priest kept talking, I found myself transported back in time, to when I first met Maja. Although neither Felix nor Lucinda had been born yet, I remember it as though it was yesterday. How did we meet? Well, it all began when King Sharan informed me that he intended to give a ball in the palace...

*****

"Since its springtime, I intend to make this a ball for the youth of Vinoli", said the King. "The ones who represent the future of our nation. Can I count on you to handle the details?"

"Of course, Father" I replied, ever the dutiful daughter. "Leave it all to me."

Anyway, to make a long story short, thanks to my tireless work, the ball was ready to be held at the date the King had set: One month later. The Guests arrived and, having presented their invitations at the front-gate, were allowed to enter the Royal palace itself. Once inside, they were escorted into the throne-room, where the King and I waited for them. 

Once the last guest had arrived, the King gave a speech in which he bid them all welcome, on my behalf and his own and expressed a wish that they would enjoy themselves.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Highness." The Guests replied in chorus. 

The King nodded, a wide smile on his face. He then nodded towards the director of the Royal Orchestra and soon, the throne-room was filled with music.

From my place next to the throne (which I shall one day occupy) I observed our guests. Some of them were mingling together in small groups, others had gone straight for the refreshment table. Lastly, the boldest among them had taken to the dance-floor. It was there that I saw Maja for the first time. She was a vision, never in my life had I seen a lovelier creature. I watched Maja as she twirled across the dance-floor, unable to take my eyes off her. I decided then and there, that she would be mine.

I turned to the King.

"Father, would you mind if I joined in the fun?"

"Of course not, my dear" King Sharan replied. "You go ahead."

I gave a sign to the orchestra, the music stopped, as did the dancing. All eyes were on me and I could tell that the guests were waiting with bated breath to see which one of them would have the privilege of being my partner. 

They did not have to wait long, as I purposefully made my way up to Maja.

"Care to dance?" I asked, holding out my hand, while giving her my most charming smile. 

Naturally, Maja was not going to turn down the daughter of her King. She accepted the hand I offered her and the orchestra began to play again.

As I could tell from when I watched her, Maja was an excellent dancer. We danced for awhile, then headed over to the refreshment table. There, I poured wine from a decanter into two goblets and handed one to Maja.

We toasted (I can't recall to what exactly. Youth, perhaps?) and drank. Once we had emptied our goblets, I asked Maja if she would like a tour of the palace-gardens? She accepted and we headed outside. Either Maja was not used to alcohol, or she had a weak constitution against it, for her face was flushed and she stumbled on the gravel path. Instinctively, she grabbed hold of my arm for support.

"Oh! F-forgive me, Your Highness" she apologized profusely. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine" I assured her. "You can lean on me, until you feel better. Say, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

And so, as we walked together, Maja, obviously flattered that someone like me would take an interest in her, talked. At first, I only listened with half an ear, my thoughts were on other things. Namely, the things I would do to her, once I had her in my bedchamber and out of that blue dress she wore. Gradually, however, I realized that I was getting more and more interested in what she was telling me. I confess that this baffled me at first, because I could find nothing in Maja's chatter that I could make use of. I then realized that I enjoyed hearing her voice, simple as that. 

It was then that a thought came to me. 

"Maja" I said, applying some light pressure to her arm to make her stop talking.

"Your Highness?" She asked, looking at me.

"I would like for the two of us to be friends. Would you?"

"I would be deeply honored to have Your Highness's friendship" Maja agreed.

"Good. Now, the first thing I want you to do as my friend is to stop calling me 'Your Highness'. At least when its just the two of us: Call me Argath."

If anyone who knew me had been present, I doubt they would have believed the testimony of their own ears. After all, I have never allowed anyone of my future subjects to call me by my first name. Not even my friends with benefits get that privilege. At most, I can lower myself to allow them to call me 'Princess' rather than 'Your Highness', but that's as far as it goes. 

Why then,  should I grant such a huge privilege to this girl I had just met? Simple, at the time, I could think of no sound more beautiful than that of my own name uttered by Maja's voice. 

She wasted no time in exersising the honor bestowed upon her and the result did not disappoint.

Like music to my ears, I thought. Though I wager it will sound even better when screamed out in a fit of ecstacy.

I was brought back to reality by Maja informing me that her feet was getting tired. We had, in fact, walked a considerable distance. Fortunately, the palace-garden does not suffer from a shortage of benches and so, we picked one out and took possession of it.  Our  bench was located near a bush, the sound of a fountain could be heard coming from somewhere on the other side of it. 

"This is nice" I said, moving closer to Maja. "I don't get many opportunities to just sit down and relax like this."

"Being the Crown-Princess is a lot of responsibility I take it?" Maja asked.

"It is. Why, this place could not function without me."

"Oh? And by 'this place', do you mean the palace or all of Vinoli?"

"Both, of course" I replied.

Apparently, Maja had mistook my most sincere answer for a joke, for she suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. Fueled, no doubt, by the alcohol in her system. 

Normally, I would have taken offense at this kind of behavior and would have devised some way to punish the person responsible. For some reason, though, I found myself unable to get mad at Maja. Instead, her pealing laughter had a contagious effect on me, so that, having listened to it for a few seconds, I soon found myself joining her in her merriment. 

We sat like this for a while, holding on to each other, our bodies shaking with mirth. Until, finally, the laughter subsided. We looked at each other, through glittering eyes and then, Maja leaned forward and kissed me.

It was not a long kiss. In fact, her lips only touched mine for the briefest of moments and yet, it made my inner fire flare up stronger than it ever had before. 

Just then, the voice of Felix called softly to me, through the mists of time, taking me out of the sweet past and back to the dismal present.

*****

"I apologize for disturbing your thoughts, Princess" Felix whispered to me. "I merely thought you would like to know that the ceremony is finished."

I looked around. Indeed, the priest had stopped talking and most of the funeral guests had left their seats and had now formed a line.

"They are about to bid my mother farewell, before she's taken to the family crypt. Would Your Highness like to accompany us there?"

"Unfortunately", I said, having let out a deep sigh, "as much as I would like too, I'm afraid that Royal duty calls and so, I have to decline." I glanced at the line, which was gradually growing shorter. "You will grant me a moment alone with her, will you?" 

"Of course, Princess."

Felix rose and went over to the line. Soon, the temple was emptied of people and I stepped up to the coffin. I looked at Maja, struck by how lifelike she seemed; as though she was merely asleep and could wake up at any moment. 

"Farewell, my love" I whispered into Maja's ear, before touching her lips with my own. 

And so, having said my last farewell, I left the temple to rejoin the others.

*****

While waiting for his mentor to return, Lorenzo had fallen asleep. The Sound of the carriage-door opening caused the young fox to stir and slowly open his one eye

"Welcome back, Princess" he yawned. "How was the funeral?"

Argath said nothing, but merely sat down on the opposite site of her protege and stared down at the carriage-floor.

"Princess, are you alright?" Lorenzo asked, after a moment's hesitation.

Still not receiving an answer, the fox reached up and knocked on the ceiling. The Carriage started to move, beginning its journey back to the capital.

Chapter 74

 Let us take our leave of Risha, Leorin and all their friends, for awhile.  In fact, let us take leave of the Eastern Continent altogether and instead return to Vinoli to spend some time with the male part of their parental unit.

After they had finished their meal, Jeraddin and Flora had returned home. There, the General had changed into civilian clothes and went out on town. 

"It's possible that I won't return until late" he had told his maid. "If so, I'll let myself in. You don't have to wait up for my sake."

"Understood, General. Have a nice walk."

As he walked down the streets of the capital, Jeraddin thought of his children; wondering where they were now and what they were doing? He also wondered if their paths have crossed? If so, he hoped that his daughter had told his son about their meeting in Guanaca. 

Jeraddin made a brief stop to gaze at the new arena, on which construction had begun shortly before he had left the capital. From the looks of it, it seemed as if the workers had come a long way already. Outside the construction site, there was a sign, upon which the following message had been written:

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this structure will be available for public use next year.

-Ursula (Royal Architect).

Leaving the arena behind, Jeraddin continued on his way. His wandering, done without a destination in mind, soon led him to the largest of the capital's three squares, the one which was dominated by a statue of the Queen, standing at a height of twelve meters (or, if you prefer, 39 feet and 4 inches).

As usual, the square at this time, was filled with people. At the base of the statue, a small group had gathered. They spoke casually, one of them had an unlit pipe in his mouth, which he sometimes removed to make a point. 

Jeraddin dropped a few coins into the hat of a nearby street musician, and proceeded to stroll among the stalls, where the street vendors were busy hawking their wares. At one of the stalls, a raccoon wearing a checkered coat was selling busts. As Jeraddin's eyes swept over the shelves, he caught his own likeness staring down at him.

"Ah, Sir" said the raccoon, in an accent made it clear that he came from Vinoli's southern regions. "I see that you are a person of person with an eye for the finer things, no? These are busts of the most highest qualities, depicting important Vinolian personages. Here, have a look at these one."

He took down one of the busts and placed it on the counter.

"Bust of famous General Jeraddin, only twenty-five bronze coins." The Raccoon paused in his sales-pitch and leaned forward, studying his potential customer inquisitively. 

"Sa-aay" he said, wagging his index-finger. "You look-a quite like these fella here, yes?"

"So I've been told" Jeraddin said, wryly, "but I have no need for a bust of my...of the General at the moment, I'm afraid."

"In that-a case, how about-a one of-a Her Majesty, instead?" Said the raccoon, gesturing towards one of the busts of Argath. Of course, its-a bit more expensive: Fifty bronze-coins."

Why does Argath's homely mug cost twice as much as mine? Jeraddin thought, somewhat piqued by this information. 

He was just about to tell the raccoon that he had no need for any busts, when an idea struck him.

"I'll take one of the Queen" he said and put the required sum down on the counter.

"An excellent choice!" Beamed the raccoon. "Would-a you like to have it delivered to your door?"

"No, I'll take it with me."

"As-a you wish. Have-a good day."

*****

When Jeraddin had first bought the bust, his intention had been to carry it down to the harbor and there, either smash it against the ground, or watch it disappear into the salty depths. 

Now that he had reached his destination though, he was beginning to have second thoughts. True, doing one of the above things would bring some satisfaction, but it would be fleeting. Instead, the lynx decided that he would remove the top of the bust and use it as a waste-basket, or an ashtray. Yes, that was more like it.

Besides, Jeraddin thought, filling its head with trash will make the bust's resemblance to its model even stronger.

It had been quite a long walk from the square to the harbor and Jeraddin was beginning to feel parched. To remedy this, he headed for one of the many taverns found in the area.

The Tavern was devoid of customers. Jeraddin went up to the bar, where a gorilla was busy polishing a glass. 

"Slow day?" He asked, putting the bust down on the counter.

"Somewhat, though most of my clientele don't show up until evening" replied the gorilla. "What's your poison?"

"Beer, dark."

"You're him, aren't you?" The Gorilla asked, while Jeraddin quenched his thirst. "The General?"

Jeraddin finished his beer.

"Afraid so" he said, wiping the lingering foam from his mouth with the back of his paw. 

"I met a girl once who looked a lot like you" said the gorilla, as he went back to polishing glass.

Jeraddin's ears perked up. He was just about to ask the gorilla to tell him more, when the  tavern doors swung open and a mastiff and a weasel, both dressed in the city-guard's uniform, stepped inside and marched authoritatively up to the bar.

"Welcome, officers" said the gorilla. "How can I be of service?"

"We've received information that the decor of this establishment does not comply with the standard law of patriotism" barked the mastiff, putting his thumbs in his belt.

"In other words" said the weasel, "there is no tribute to our beloved head of state anywhere in this place.

"Which means a fine of one gold and three silver. Or one-thousand, three-hundred bronze."

The Gorilla turned pale.

"O-one thousand, three-hundred" he stuttered. "What if I don't have that kind of money on me?"

"In that case, you would have to come with us, Sir" replied the mastiff. "Are we to assume that you can't pay the fine?"

Jeraddin had been listening to the words of the two guards with growing distaste. He decided that the time had come for him to intervene.

"If I were you officers, I would not be so hasty in carrying out my duty" he said, in a casual tone of voice.

For the first time since entering the tavern did the mastiff and the weasel become aware that there was another person in there. They both turned towards the speaker, the weasel looked as if he was about to tell him to mind his own business, but the mastiff stopped him by grabbing his elbow and giving him a cautionary look.

"What do you mean?" He asked gruffly. "General" he added, having recognized the person he was addressing.

"I advise you to take a look at this" Jeraddin replied, indicating the bust. 

The Two guards stared at it and, although his face showed nothing, Jeraddin could not help but smile inwardly at how deflated they looked. As if their authority had just leaked out of them. The Mastiff was the first to gather his bearings.

"Our apologies" he muttered stiffly to the gorilla. "It seems as though we were misinformed. Good day." He touched the rim of his helmet. "General".

Once the two guards had left, with as much dignity as they could muster, the gorilla expressed his gratitude.

"You really saved my hide." He filled another tankard of ale and put it down in front of Jeraddin. "Here, this one's on the house."

"Tell me about this girl" said Jeraddin.

"She was in the company of two others; a boy and another girl. The Boy was a cat, with black-fur. Funny, I can't recall what the other girl looked like. Anyway, she asked me if I knew where they could find a ship that took passengers."

"And were you able to help them?" Jeraddin asked. Though he already knew the answer.

The Gorilla nodded. 

"There's this tiger, goes by the name Cerewan. He helps people who need to get out of Vinoli. One of his crew was here that day, so I introduced them to each other."

"This Cerewan, is he in town at the moment?"

"His ship's in the harbor, so I'd hazard a 'yes'."

"Are he and his crew regulars here?"

"They are regulars at every tavern in the harbor. They like to spread their money around."

"I see."

Jeraddin raised his second beer to his lips and drained it. 

"You wouldn't mind telling me the name of Cerewan's ship?" He asked casually, while twirling the empty tankard in his paws.

"I don't see what harm that could do. Its called 'the Maelstrom'."

"Thank you, you've been very helpful. Well, time for me to be on my way."

"Don't forget your thing, General" said the gorilla, pointing at the bust.

Jeraddin looked at his intended wastebasket/ashtray with disinterest.

"Keep it" he said, as he walked out the door. "It is evident that you have more need of it than I do."

******

As the sun began its descent, the denizens of the harbor flocked to its many taverns and brothels, with the Crew of the Maelstrom being no exception. Concealed in the shadows, Jeraddin watched them leave their ship. As they unknowingly passed him by, Jeraddin got his first look at Cerewan. So, this was the fiend who had robbed his little girl of her freedom. The Lynx's body tensed up and a low growl rose up from his throat. How he wanted to pounce on Cerewan and tear the out the tiger's throat with his teeth. 

No, calm yourself Jeraddin. Attacking Cerewan openly would only lead to trouble for you. There are other ways to bring an enemy down.

Forcing himself to relax, Jeraddin waited until the crew had entered one of the establishments. Then, he stealthily approached the ship.

Chapter 73

 "This is it?" Risha asked. "You are sure?"

Afternoon had just turned into evening, when she and Merees had left the theater. They had met up with Kyros and the aardvark, who had an empty burlap-sack tossed over one shoulder. At the moment, the four of them were standing in front of a wooden gate.

"Positive" Kyros said, in response to the lynx's question. "This is the address Fuchul gave me."

"Well, then" Merees said. "Let's head inside."

She opened the gate and having stepped through it, the four found themselves in an overgrown garden, surrounding a white house with a red roof. They began to make their way through grass that had not been cut for years, with Risha in the middle and the other two flanking her.

"Better check ourselves for ticks when we get back" the lynx observed. "I bet this place is crawling with the little buggers."

"Indeed", Kyros agreed. "Obviously, gardening was not high on Zevedo's list of priorities."

Risha turned to Merees.

"You've been awfully quiet. Something on your mind, hon?"

Merees stared up at the building they were headed towards.

"I spent five years of my life in that house" she said, in a pensive tone, as though she was speaking more to herself than to Risha. "And yet, this is the first time I  can remember actually seeing it."

"Are you going to be alright? If you don't want to go inside, just give me the keys. I'm sure I can convince 'your' servant that you trusted me with them."

Merees shook her head.

"Thanks, but I'll manage. Let's just get this over with."

Upon setting foot on the veranda, the trio found themselves faced with an obstacle none of them had foreseen:

"That's strange" Kyros muttered, his brow furrowed. "There's no door."

Indeed, in the place where a door would usually be found, there was nothing but a smooth wall.

"How is this possible?" Risha wondered, then a thought came to her. "Perhaps the wall isn't real? Maybe we can pass through it?"

"Let me try" Merees said.

She put her hand on the surface. As soon as she did, a voice could be heard inside her head:

"Identity confirmed. Welcome home, Master Zevedo. Is anyone else with you?"

It did not take long for the Princess to get over her initial surprise.

"Two guests" she said. "Allow them entrance, house."

"As you wish."

The Voice grew quiet. Where there had previously not been a door, one was now visible.

*****

After he had returned home, Rrelo the goblin had spent most of the day doing chores around the house. He was just about to sit down to a light dinner of hard cheese and bread, when he heard the door open. Immediately, Zevedo's servant left the kitchen and went out in the hallway.

"Welcome home, Master" he greeted Merees, rubbing his hands together. He then noticed the two males and gave the dragon a quizzical look.

"These are new business associates of mine" Merees explained, affecting a deliberately haughty tone. "They wish to take a look at my assets. Lead the way."

For a moment, Rrelo seemed to hesitate and Merees became anxious: Had he seen through her? It would be worse for him if he had. After all, she had no doubt that one of them alone would be enough to handle one goblin. Still, she would prefer to deal with this without having to resort to violence.

Behind Merees, Risha, Kyros and the aardvark all  reached for their blades. 

Before they could draw them though, Rrelo's face regained its usual sycophantic expression.

"Of course, Master. Follow me, honored guests."

Zevedo's study did not differ greatly from any other of its kind. It had a desk, a chair for visitors and a bookcase. It also had a tall, gray safe, standing in a corner. Merees took out the key and, remembering what Rrelo had told her, turned the handle of the safe upward, before turning the key. Its trap disarmed, the door to the safe swung open, revealing four shelves, each one containing neatly stacked piles of gold, pouches bulging with coins of several different values and precious stones.

"Holy shit!" Risha exclaimed in an awed tone. 

"You can say that again" Kyros agreed.

"It's like a dream come true" salivated the aardvark.

Even Merees was impressed. In all her life, she could not recall having seen a private fortune such as this. She wondered how Zevedo had managed to amass it? Probably not by honest means. Suddenly, found herself relieved that she was standing with her back turned to Rrelo, making it impossible for the goblin to see her face. Had he been able to, he would doubtless have seen through her subterfuge. After all, it was unlikely that Zevedo gazed on his wealth with the same dumbstruck expression.

Gathering herself together, the dragon turned to Kyros and the aardvaark

"Help yourselves" she said, stepping out of the way.

While Kyros and the aardvark began to transfer as much as the safe's content into the sack as they could, Merees gave instructions to Rrelo:

"Go find that Captain of yours. Tell him, I'm willing to offer twice what he wants, if he's got room for three dozen more passengers on his ship."

Rrelo nodded and was just about to leave, when Merees called out to him to hold on.

"Yes, Master? Anything else?"

"Tomorrow? You are not coming with us."

Rrelo's expression was that of a child who had just come down on Christmas, only to find that there were no presents under the tree.

"I need you to remain here for the time being" she said. "Don't worry, once I've secured my foothold, I will send for you."

"Master, that could take forever."

"Well, you just have to be patient. Now, run along."

Swallowing his disappointment, Rrelo left the house.

"You know" Risha said, once the goblin was gone. "You could have just let him go."

"You think so? Risha, I don't know what Zevedo did to make his servant so slavishly devoted to him, but I'm pretty sure that if I had told him that I had no further need for his services, he would have tried to rip my throat out."

"He'd be dead before that could happen and frankly, I'm not sure if that wouldn't have been the more merciful thing to do."

"Than letting him live?"

"Than letting him live with false hope, because there's no way you're going to send for him later on, is there?"

Merees said nothing. Not that she had to; Risha could see the answer written on her face.

"Let's help the guys finish and then get out of here" the dragon said, after a moment's silence. "This place makes my skin crawl."

*****

Those who happened to be in the harbor the next day, could not fail but notice that a rather sizable group of people had gathered at pier 43. If a curious passerby moved closer, they would notice that in that crowd, there were several members of the foreign acting-troupe that had come to town recently.

"We'll see each other again, won't we, sis?"

"Of course, Leo." Smiling reassuringly, Risha put a paw on her brother's shoulder. "Until then, you and Sara keep honing your craft. I'm looking forward to many new plays from the two of you."

"You can count on us on looking after young Leorin" said Eramus, who had stepped forward.

"I know and you have my thanks."

"Both our thanks" Merees said.

At this point, a sea-lion, whose headwear immediately identified him as the supreme commander of the vessel came up from the hold. 

"All aboard!" The Captain called out in a hoarse voice. "We have a schedule to keep! Hoist the anchor! All hands on deck!"

The Siblings embraced one last time and the passengers climbed aboard. As the ship began its long journey, Risha and Merees stood on deck, one arm around each other's waists, the other waving to the people on the pier.

Chapter 72

 "That goblin who just came in..." Merees began.

"I see him" Risha said. "What about him?"

"I swear he's looking at us."

The Lynx shrugged. "Well, its not like there's a law against looking at people. Anyway, if he comes over, we can just politely tell him to take a hike."

"You tell him, I do believe  he is coming over."

Indeed, the olive-green stranger was making his way across the inn's newly cleaned floor. Finally stopping at the table Risha and Merees were sitting at. 

"Listen, pal" Risha said. "No offense, but we'd like some privacy, so why don't you...."

She stopped, realizing that the goblin was not paying the least bit attention to her. Instead, he was staring at Merees, with a look of relief and worship on his face. 

"Master" he said, kneeling down in front of the dragon. "At last I've found you."

At that moment, both women shared the same thought: Who is this guy and what is he talking about?

"You didn't return home for your meeting, Master" the goblin continued. "Your faithful Rrelo was really worried that something happened at the meeting you went to. I've been out looking for you."

Risha and Merees exchanged looks. So, that's how it was.

Rrelo fell silent. Evidently, he was waiting for his 'Master' to say something. However, Merees had no idea how to respond to what the goblin had just said.

"I'm sorry for making you worry" she muttered awkwardly.

Hearing this, the goblin frowned. 

Shit! Merees thought. She and Risha both bit their tongues in unison. That was obviously not what he had expected to hear. What if he begins to suspect something? 

She cleared her throat and looked at the goblin through half-closed eyelids. 

"I mean" she said, smiling contemptuously. "That I'm sorry to hear that you have such a lack of faith in your Master. Personally, I find it...troubling."

Rrelo held up his hands and shook his head vigorously.

"No, no, Master. Rrelo meant no offense. Please, forgive your poor servant."

"Very well. Oh, and stand up, will you?"

Rrelo immediately got to his feet.

"Master, I have good news to tell you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I've found a ship, whose captain is willing to take us to one of the places you wish to go, Master. So that we can begin working on your plan."

"And what kind of plan is that, exactly?" Risha asked.

Rrelo looked at the lynx, as if he had only noticed her just now. He turned back to Merees and whispered something in her ear. 

Risha could not hear what was said, but she could see Merees' face darkening. Standing up, the dragon slapped Rrelo in the face, with such force that the goblin staggered backwards.

"Never" Merees growled, grabbing Rrelo collar, "let me hear you talk about her that way, again. Understood?"

"Y-yes, Master" Zevedo's servant replied, not having expected this type of reaction.

"You will accord her the same respect as you do me" Merees continued. "Is that clear, thrall?"

Rrelo's head bobbed up and down. 

"Good." Merees relaxed her grip, letting him go. Rubbing his cheek, the goblin turned to Risha.

"A thousand pardons my Lady" he begged, in a nasally whine. "I had no idea that you and the Master were so...close."

"That's...fine" Risha said, completely taken aback. "Apology accepted." She gave Merees a look of what the Hell was that about?

"Now then" Merees said. "Why don't you answer the Lady's question? Tell her about the plan."

"Your plan, Master" Rrelo replied. "Of course,your wish is my command."

And so, the goblin told Risha and Merees about Zevedo's plan, the nature of which is already known to you, dear reader (should your memory fail, you can always go back a few chapters). The Lynx and the dragon both listened with interest, though that of the latter was greater than the former's.

Once Rrelo had finished, Merees asked him about where the ship was located and when it would depart.

"At pier 43, Master" the goblin replied. "It leaves at noon, tomorrow, but the captain will need an answer at least one hour before that.

"I see. Thank you."

Rrelo looked as if he had just won the lottery.

"One more thing" said Merees. "My silver-key, you know which one I'm talking about, don't you?"

"The One that opens up your safe, Master?"

"Exactly. I can't recall where I saw it last. Do you have any idea?"

"You took it with you when you went out, Master. As usual. You didn't lose it, did you, Master? Not that it matters, only the two of us know that you need to turn the handle upwards in order to deactive the trap inside the safe."

"Of course" Merees said, with studied nonchalance. She made a show out of patting her clothes. "Ah, here it is."

"Master,  do you have any further need for your servant?"

"Not as of now. Why don't you return home and wait for us there."

Rrelo bowed and was just about to leave, when he made halt and looked at Merees with a beseeching expression.

"Master?" 

"What is it now?"

"When Vinoli is yours, you won't forget my reward? Right, Master?"

"Of course not. Now, off you go."

Merees waved her hand dismissively and Rrelo, satisfied with the answer, left the tavern.  Once the goblin was gone, Risha voiced her opinion of his character:

"What a sycophant" she said, rolling her eyes. "By the way, what did he say that caused you to lose your temper like that?"

"Nothing worth repeating, I can assure you. Why don't we talk about the plan instead?"

"Fine by me. Mer, you do realize that this plan will lead to a lot of people dying, right?"

"Of course I do", Merees replied. "Believe me, I don't like it anymore than you do, but I can't see any other way to bring Argath to justice."

Risha did not say anything, but one of her eyebrows moved to a more elevated position on her brow.

"That's right" Merees continued, her voice sharp. "I said justice, not vengeance and believe me, I do know the difference. I want my si...Argath on her knees. I want her to confess to the murder of my father and all the other crimes she may have committed and then, I want her tried according to Vinolian laws. As for those I have to sacrifice to make that happen? If there's an afterlife, I will ask for their forgiveness and accept whatever punishment is in store for me, once I get there." 

As she spoke, the Princess' face turned into a storm-cloud, while her eyes flashed like lightning. It was a terrible sight, but Risha did not flinch. She faced it placidly, waiting for Merees to calm down.

Which did not take long. Suddenly, Merees felt embarrassed of her outburst. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to relax.

"I'm sorry, Risha" she sighed, trying to keep her voice steady. "We just got reunited and suddenly this whole thing is dropped on us. Part of me wants to ignore it all: Forget about the plan, forget about what happened, but I can't. Not while she remains unpunished."

Reaching out over the table, Risha took Merees' hands in her paws. As she held them, she could sense them trembling slightly.

"You don't have to carry the burden of responsibility yourself, you know" she said, mild reproach mixed with kindness in her voice. "I'm with you, all the way. We'll take that bitch down, together."

"Thanks, Risha" Merees said, a smile illuminating her countenance. "You are the best."

"Thank you. I already knew I was the best, but its nice to hear you say it."

"Modest too. That's another quality of yours that I've missed."

At that moment, the sound of someone clearing their throat close to their ears, caused the two women to look up. Another member of the party, an aardvark, had appeared at the table.

"Hate to interrupt you lovebirds" the aardvark said, "but the Boss just showed up. He's about to hand out everyone's share of the reward we got from that red panda and its only you we're waiting for."

Both Risha and Merees looked towards the long table where the rest of the party had gathered. Indeed, Kyros was standing at the head of it, with two pouches filled with coin placed in front of him.

"Well, time to get what's coming to me" Risha said. 

She and Merees left their own table and went to join the others. One by one, Kyros called out the names of those present and they all went up and received their share.

"I'm curious; how is the money you earn divided between you?" Merees asked in a whisper.

"It's based on how long you've been with the party", Risha explained. "Kyros is the founder, so he gets the biggest cut."

"That makes sense, I suppose. Wouldn't be any point being the leader if you didn't get any perks. So, that would mean that your share...."

"Is the smallest, correct."

Merees was about to ask Risha if this was something that bothered her, when it became the lynx's turn. 

"Good job, Risha" Kyros complimented her. "Here's your share."

He gave her a pawful of coins, Risha looked at them in surprise.

"This seems bigger than my usual share" she observed. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Something extra with compliments from our latest employer" the mountain-lion said, with a wink. "He thought you deserved it, since it was your plan that rid him of nemesis."

"That's great, hon" Merees said, while Risha undid the strings to her own purse and let the coins disappear into it. 

"May I ask what the two of you are going to do now that you are together again?" Kyros inquired. "Of course, both of you are welcome to remain with us,  as long as you wish."

"Actually, there's something we'd like to discuss with you" Risha said. She looked around the crowded tavern. "Preferably between six eyes."

*****

"So, what do you think?" Risha asked Kyros. "Are you in?"

The Three of them were standing in a back-alley, outside the tavern. Merees had just finished informing Kyros about their plans for the foreseeable future. 

"Well, you have my interest" replied the mountain-lion, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "I will have to discuss it with the others though."

"Really? Merees raised an eyebrow. "I thought you made all the decisions?"

"When it comes to ordinary jobs, such as protecting caravans and what we have done here, yes. However, this is not an ordinary job, I would say. Incidentally, much as I like both of you, I am not running a charity. How do you intend to pay us?"

In response, Merees took out the silver-key.

"Oh, we won't be paying you" Risha explained, to Kyros' wondering expression. "Zevedo will."

Chapter 71

 After they had bid Leorin and the others good-night, Risha and Merees went back to the hotel the latter was staying at. Having retrieved the key from the front-desk (the night-manager raised an eyebrow upon seeing the two women come in, but said nothing), Risha unlocked the door and the two of them went inside. 

One thing's for sure, the Princess thought to herself. Whoever designed this place did not take dragons into account. I can barely stand up straight and I'm short for my species. Oh well, its not like I was planning to spend much time in this room on my feet.

"I know" Risha said. "Its not much. Not like the place we were staying at the last time we were together."

"Risha" Merees replied. "I could sleep in a tent, or even under the bare sky, as long as I get to wake up next to you."

As she said this, the female dragon reached up and caressed her girlfriend's cheek.

"Oh, Mer" Risha gasped, Merees' touch causing her to purr. "I can't wait a moment longer."

"You will not have to, my sweet. Let's get out of these clothes."

A matter no sooner said than done. As they undressed, an object fell out of Merees' clothes and landed on the floor. Wondering what it was, she bent down and picked it up: It turned out to be a key, made out of silver.

"How strange" she muttered.

"It must have belonged to Zevedo" Risha said. "Better hold on to it. I bet it goes to something important."

"I will, but for now, I'm more interested in having a bit of fun."

Merees put the key down on top of her clothes and she and Risha climbed into bed, where they soon were completely busy reacquainting themselves with each other's bodies: Kissing and nibbling, caressing and licking. 

Risha was the first to reach climax; the lynx's body shook and she screamed out in ecstasy, as she came in her lover's eager mouth, before she collapsed onto the straw-mattress.

"I...I haven't felt like that since..." she gasped, waiting for her heartbeat to slow down.

"Since last time we were together?" Merees, who had moved up from her position between Risha's legs and were now lying next to her, asked.

"Mmmm."

"I'm glad to hear it. So, are you ready to make me feel good now?"

In response, Risha wrapped her arms around Merees and kissed her passionately on the mouth. And so, they continued making love, the bed shaking with the force of their passion. Until, fully sated, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

****

Upon entering the tavern, Risha and Merees immediately found themselves the center of attention from the rest of Kyros' party. As they made their way up to the counter, various ribald comments were thrown at them. Feeling herself blush, Merees dug her claws into the palm of her hand. She glanced at Risha; to her surprise, the lynx seemed completely unaffected by this rude treatment, even firing off a few retorts at some of the men, causing them to laugh uproariously and slap their knees.

"We'd like breakfast" Risha said to the panda who was standing behind the counter, polishing a glass. "What have you got."

"Green tea and rice porridge" came the answer. "Take it or leave it."

"Is that OK with you?" Risha asked.

"I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Suit yourself: Breakfast for one, please."

Risha paid and the two of them sat down at a corner table, where they could have some privacy. 

"What a bunch of ill-mannered louts" Merees said, lowering her voice, something which was quite unnecessary due to all the noise in the establishment. "Are they always like this?"

"Almost".

Merees sighed in exasperation.

"Frankly, I don't know how you can stand it." 

"I suppose I've gotten used to it", Risha shrugged. "Besides, they aren't so bad. After all, they helped to bring us together again."

Merees had to concede that this was true.

Soon, Risha's breakfast arrived and the lynx immediately sampled some of the porridge.

"Not bad" was the lynx's verdict of the meal. "Could use a bit more salt, but I've had worse fare."

Her appetite roused, she proceeded to dig into the bowl, washing each spoonful down with some the tea. Merees watched her.

"So, how long have you and they been travelling together?" She asked.

"Since I left that place. Let me think, it must be five, maybe sixth months?"

Risha did not mention the name of the country where she had been enslaved, but she did not have to: Merees already knew. Last night, during their lovemaking, she had spotted a mark in Risha's armpit. She had only seen it for a brief second, not letting her eyes linger on it, but Merees' education had allowed her to identify it as a Guanacan letter. A 'B' to be more specific.

Whatever hardships Risha had gone through during the past five years, it was obvious that she wanted to leave that period of her life behind her and Merees intended to respect that and not pry into the past. Still, she wondered how exactly Risha had managed to free herself and if the people she had been travelling with had something to do with that.

If so, that's another thing I owe them my gratitude for, she thought, taking a sip of her tea. No doubt I'm being uncharitable, but I can't say that I cherish the thought of being indebted to these people.

"Risha, there's something I wonder...."

"What is it?"

"Its a sensitive subject. I don't wish to upset you."

Risha pushed the now empty bowl aside and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"Let me guess" she began. "You want to ask if I, when travelling alone with all these strange males, if I one of them molested me, am I correct?"

At first, Merees was caught off guard by the bluntness of the lynx's answer and so, for a moment, all she could do was stare. Then, she nodded slowly.

"When I joined the party, the leader introduced me to the others. He said: 'This is Risha, she'll be travelling with us from now on. Now, I know that we haven't had any female members before and that some of you may find her presence in our midst, a source of temptation. I must warn you that if any of you succumbs to this temptation, will answer to me and believe me, you will find that the brief pleasure you may have gained from committing such a vile act against one of your comrades, will not be worth the punishment that awaits you.'

I had no doubt that the leader would execute his threats, but that did not make me feel at ease. Some males are completely ruled by what's between their legs, even if obeying it would be detrimental to themselves in the long run and I saw no reason to doubt that some representatives for that type of male would be among my soon-to-be travelling-companions. Thus, whenever I did not have the watch, I'd sleep with one eye open and with my blade close, like a security blanket. Waiting for what I thought was the inevitable."

Risha paused in her recollections and clasped her paws together. Seeing that they were shaking, Merees put her hand on them.

"You don't have to go on" she said in a soothing voice.

"I'm fine. Anyway, despite my fears,nothing happened, fortunately. Early on, some of the men tried to proposition me for sex, but I always turned them down as gently as I could and eventually they left me alone. Every once in a while, we'd happen upon a town or village that had a brothel, to which my fellow travelers immediately went to gain some relief. At first, they invited me to join them..."

"They had figured out that you are a lesbian by then? Or did you tell them?"

"No, I believe they came to that conclusion themselves. Something to the effect off: 'well, this chick isn't into any of us; The Gods' gifts to women. There can only be one reason: She must be of the sapphic persuasion.' Which, to be fair, is actually the correct answer."

"So, did you ever take them up on their offer?"

"Never, though I must admit there were times when I was sorely tempted."

"Did you decline for my sake? Hon, if I discovered that you had slept with someone else while we were separated, I wouldn't have held it against you. After all, there was no way for you to know whether or not I was still alive."

"True, but I had to believe that you were and that I would find you. There were times when that belief was the only thing that kept me going.

Besides, Risha continued, her face lit up by a bright smile. "My belief was not misplaced, for here we are: Together again."

"Yes" Merees said, returning the smile. "Together again. And this time, nothing and no-one will tear us apart."

Almost immediately after she said that, a groaning noise escaped from the Princess's stomach. 

"So, I guess that means you've changed your mind about breakfast?" 

*****

"Thanks for paying for me too, Risha" Merees said, after she had finished her meal. 

"No need to thank me. What's mine is yours. Besides, I remember that you used to pay for me and Leorin when the three of us together."

"By the way, I think you were wrong about the porridge: It did not need any more salt than it already had."

"You think so? Well, we're just going to have to disagree on that one."

"You mentioned something about Leorin being a playwright now. I take it that's why the Troupe is here?"

"Yes, they're giving a performance of a play he and Sara wrote. Do you remember her?"

"Of course, she's the porcupine-girl, right. So, how is their play?"

"The Kids definitely have talent. Than again, I am the sister of one of them, so perhaps I'm biased in their favor."

"I should like to see it, if there's a time."

"Oh, I'm sure we can find some."

"The Mountain-Lion I met briefly last night. What was his name again?"

"Kyros."

"He's the leader, isn't he?"

"That's right."

"Tell me about him. He seemed...different from the others."

"Oh, he definitely is" Risha agreed. "Kyros is a man of class and culture."

"Has he told you anything about himself?"

"No and I haven't asked, but I suspect that he is of gentle birth, maybe even royalty."

That would make two of us, Merees thought.

"I didn't see when we came in." She said.

"Come to think of it, neither did I".

The Lynx frowned, momentarily puzzled by Kyros' absence. She then realized that he must still be at  Fuchul's place. 

"You'll see" she said to Merees, having informed the dragon about this. "I bet he'll come in through those doors, any moment now."

As if on cue, the tavern-doors swung open. However, it was not Kyros who entered, but a goblin. The Goblin stood in the doorway, throwing his eyes around the room, before landing on one specific table. 

"Masster" the goblin whispered to himself and made his way towards the table in question.

Chapter 70

 Night had begun to fall when the royal caravan made halt. Under the watchful eyes of the caravan-leader (who answered only to the Queen), and his assistants,  tents were erected and food was prepared. 

Seated by one of the camp-fires, Nasari finished her bowl of stew and gazed into the flames. 

"Are you thinking about Jeraddin?" A voice asked. It was Miranda, who, as usual could be found close to Nasari.

"A little" the black cat admitted. "Mostly I'm thinking about my children. I can't help but worry about them, especially the youngest."

"I guess that's natural, when you're a parent" the raccoon said. "I'm sure both Risha and Leorin are doing fine, though. From what you've told me, they are both smart kids."

"They are" Nasari agreed, smiling wistfully at the thought of her babies. Of course, one of them was an adult and had been for quite some time. Not that age matter; a child is always a child to its parents.

"Thank you" she said, giving Miranda a peck on the cheek. "You always know what to say to put me at ease."

"Same to you. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to be back in Vinoli again. Staying in Guanaca was fine, I guess, but all this sand really isn't my thing."

Nasari too, could not wait to return home. Though she did not share her lover's opinion on Guanaca. During her stay in the palace, she had come to despise this place, where her daughter had spent so many years in slavery. Though she was loath to admit it, the black cat had felt almost grateful when the Queen had decided that it was time to bid Guanaca good-bye. The Vinolian palace was a prison, this was true, but at least it was not a prison for any of her own flesh and blood.

"Something tells me that our new King-Consort does not feel the same way" she said.

"I think you're right." Miranda lowered her voice slightly, as she spoke. "I've heard that he's been sulking ever since we left Guanaca. I guess he would have preferred to stay behind and govern his own Kingdom, rather than leaving it in the hands of someone else. Can't blame him for that, I suppose. It can't be easy having regained your kingdom, only to be obliged to leave it in the hands of somebody else and that someone not even being one of your own."

"No, I suppose not" Nasari replied, her eyes turning towards the large tent that stood in the center of the camp. 

****

Inside the tent, Argath, having finished the last of her stuffed quails, put down the utensils and wiped her mouth with a silk napkin. As the Queen did this, her eyes fell upon King Faljan. The Fennec had barely touched his food, but he was on his third goblet of chilled wine.

"Come now, husband" Argath said, cheerfully. "Don't be so glum. I know you wanted to stay in Guanaca, but surely, the people of Vinoli have a right to welcome their new King. After all, We came to your kingdom, did We not?"

This got a reaction: Faljan abruptly rose from his chair, causing it to tip over. He stared at Argath and, if looks, could kill, Faljan would have found himself a widower. For a moment, the young Monarch only stood there, his shoulders trembling.

"You...you" he said. He would have liked to say more, but the words were stuck in his throat and refused to come out. Instead, he turned and stormed out of the tent, with as much dignity as he could muster.

Argath watched him leave.

Pathetic, she thought, shaking her head contemptuously. 

Not that Argath minded, but she hoped that her future child would take after her rather than its father.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. Shall I remove the King's plate?" Inquired the servant.

Argath glanced disinterestedly at the almost-full plate.

"Ye..." She began, only to immediately change her mind. "No, leave it here."

There was no use letting perfectly good food go to waste and besides, she was eating for two now, after all. 

Fine. Two and a half.

****

Outside, Faljan had walked around to the backside of the tent, where he gave vent to his frustrations by stomping around and muttering curse-words to himself. He recalled the marriage-contract that Argath had drawn up, on the day he had first appeared at the Vinolian court. In the contract it had said that their marriage would be of a purely political nature and, that once Guanaca and Vinoli were united, the two of them would rule as equals, but each would have the final decision in matters concerning their own kingdoms.

This had all sounded perfectly reasonable to Faljan and so, he had signed the contract and had joined the army, which under the command of General Jeraddin was to take his throne back from his treacherous cousin. 

Looking back, he should have realized that something was not quite right, when during their wedding ceremony, Argath had snatched the crown which he was to place on her head and had done so herself. At the time though, he had merely chalked it up to female vanity and wounded pride.

But then, Argath had appointed that iguana, Felix, to govern Guanaca in the name of the newlyweds. This had been too much for Faljan; with his blood boiling he had confronted Argath and asked her if she remembered the marriage contract?

"We had a deal!" He had said, his voice rising a pitch. "Remember?!"

"Yes" the Queen had replied, her voice perfectly calm. "We remember and We intend to honor the first part of said deal. As for the second. Well, let's just say that We have made some modifications to it."

"You can't do this!" Faljan had protested hotly. Only to realize immediately that, no, she could. After all, what nation did the soldiers currently patrolling the streets of Guanaca belong too? That's right, Vinoli.

"Felix is a man of great integrity" Argath had said, addressing her husband in the way that a parent would an unreasonable child. "He will not abuse his position. You can have the same confidence in him as We have."

And  its not like I have a choice in the matter, Faljan had thought bitterly, before he had left the room, with the Queen's laughter following him.

The Memory of this scene caused tears of anger, shame and self-pity to start streaming down Faljan's cheeks and he collapsed into his knees in the sand, hiding his face in his paws. 

All he had wanted was to get back what was his, by birthright. Was that so wrong? 

What a fool I've been, he thought. How could I have trusted that woman?

A thought then occurred to the King, one that caused the hair on his body to stand on edge: Now that Argath had control over Guanaca, what did she need him for? At this point, he did not doubt that his spouse was capable of murder. In fact, if anyone had told him that Argath had killed her own father, the fennec would have believed them without hesitation.

Faljan swallowed, he could already feel the noose tightening around his neck. 

No! He would not let that happen! If that bitch thought he could get rid of Faljan of Guanaca that easily, she had another thing coming. He would strike first! 

Faljan dried his tears and looked around. Save for a few guards, patrolling the perimeter of the camp, he was the only outside. Everyone else had retired to their tents. With newfound determination, the fennec headed back to the largest tent and stepped inside. He could hear the sound of Argath snoring, knocked out cold by that potion she took to help her sleep every night. With his heart beating in his ears, Faljan grabbed a convenient knife from the table and went over to the Queen's side of the tent.

She lied on her travelling-bed, spread-eagle with her eyes open. For a moment, Faljan was worried that she was awake, but then he heard the snoring and remember that this was simply the way Argath slept. She was not alone in the bed; one of her maids, the racoon was curled up by her feet, sleeping soundly.

Good, Faljan thought. She'll make an ideal scape-goat. I'm sorry, whatever your name is, but I have no other choice.

He raised the knife, ready to plunge into one of Argath's eyes and then, he suddenly stopped: His gaze travelled downward, to the Queen's stomach. In there, the fruit of his loins, the heir to his throne waited to enter the World. Killing Argath would mean taking the life of that child as well and Faljan knew he could not do that.

"Congratulations" he whispered. "You get to live a while longer."

Silently, Faljan returned to his own bed, where he eventually fell asleep, clutching the knife tightly in his paw.

Chapter 69

 In the hall of his own home, Jeraddin unbuckled his travelling cloak. He was just about to announce his presence with a simple "I'm home!" (as though he had been out for a quick errand, rather than having spent many months across the sea, laying siege to a city that, until now, had been considered impenetrable), when his ears were suddenly filled by a crashing noise. 

Jeraddin did not hesitate: Tossing the cloak aside, he hurried towards the kitchen, where the sound had come from. Once there, he was met with a sight that caused his heart to skip a beat: 

Albert was lying unconscious on the floor, pieces of broken plates strewn around him. Flora, Jeraddin's housekeeper was kneeling next to the old servant, desperately trying to resuscitate him. When she heard Jeraddin entering, the hedgehog looked up.

"Sir" she said, her voice breaking. "It's Albert, we were cleaning the dishes and he...he just collapsed."

Jeraddin said nothing, but instead crouched down beside her and checked Albert's pulse.

"S-should I fetch a doctor, Sir?" Flora asked.

"I'm afraid it would make no difference to him" Jeraddin replied, wondering if his voice sounded as flat and unnatural to the young woman beside him, as it did to himself. "He has no need for a doctor, anymore."

****

The Funeral was held a week later. Albert had no living relatives and so, Jeraddin and Flora were the only two in attendance. Jeraddin listened with only half an ear to the droning voice of the cleric and the muffled sounds of his housekeeper, sobbing into her handkerchief. His thought was on the person, whose remains were inside the coffin being lowered into the ground. 

Albert had been a part of Jeraddin's life almost since the beginning. He had not only watched the lynx grow up, but his children as well. How strange to know that he was now gone forever. 

At least Albert had not suffered, that was something of a comfort. According to the female doctor, who had examined the body, death had been instantaneous; as if the Reaper had merely snapped his (or her) skeletal fingers.  The Lynx had always thought that the ideal way to go would be to simply drift away; surrounded by those who loved you and that was how Jeraddin wished to pass, if he could chose. 

However, he was also aware that no one mortal truly decided when their time had come or under which circumstances. With that in mind, a quick and painless death was maybe the best one could hope for? At the very least, it was infinitely preferable to the alternative.

Farewell, Albert, Jeraddin thought, saluting the coffin as tears streamed down his whiskers. If we meet in the afterlife, it won't  be as master and servant, that I promise you.

"When you were away, he sometimes complained about feeling dizzy" Flora told Jeraddin, once the funeral was over and the two of them were leaving the cemetery. "I told him to seek medical help, but he just brushed me off."

"Albert was stubborn that way. I think he viewed being sick as something shameful. I remember one time when he had the flu and my wife and I had to tie him to the bed so that he wouldn't get up  and do his chores, just to prove that he still could."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Flora?"

"What's going to happen now?"

"You're welcome to stay on as my housekeeper if you want. If not, I'll write up a good recommendation letter for you. You've earned it."

Flora thought about this for a moment.

"I'll stay on. You've been good to me, Sir. Ever since I served under you, in the army."

"Do you miss it?" Jeraddin asked. "Being a soldier?"

Flora shook her head.

"No, Sir. Though sometimes I can't help but wonder: Of all the people you could have given an employment in your household, why me?"

"Simple, I know that Albert was getting on in years and while I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, there need to be someone around to watch the house when I'm away. I knew that you were the right person for the job. Although, I did have one more reason for hiring you."

"What reason is that?"

"I have a daughter. Of course, you already know that, since you have seen her in the family-portrait that hangs in the living-room. It's an old picture, painted ten years ago. She's an adult now, only a couple of years younger than you. Anyway, you remind me of her."

"Oh" Flora said. "That's nice."

The Hedgehog was not sure if the General had caught the disappointment in her voice. His daughter? But, I don't want him to think of me that way, she thought to herself and blushed slightly.

"Now then" Jeraddin said. "I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. I know a place, if you care to join me. My treat."

"Thank you, Sir. I would like that, very much."

The Hedgehog moved closer to Jeraddin and took the arm he offered her. 

Just wait, Jeraddin, she thought. One day, I'll make you see me in another light. Somehow.

A Brief Post On Senscritique

 I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Senscritique. In case you're not, allow me to explain: 

Senscritique is a French-language website that allows its users to rate and review various pieces of media. Think of it as IMDB, except not limited to movies, shows and games.  Anyway, I've been a member of SC for many years now and I've never had any complaints about the site. Until now, that is. 

You see, yesterday the new improved'version of Senscritique was launched and to the surprise of absolutely no-one, its actually worse than the old one. Not only is the site clunkier to navigate (at least, that's my impression), but several features of the old site have disappeared. For example, you know how, on of these type of sides (IMDB, Letterboxd, etc), you are usually able to chose how you want to display the items you've rated? Whether in the form of a list, or on a grid? Well, that option is no longer available: It's the list format or nothing now, mes amis. Something which is quite annoying for those like me, who prefered the alternative.

Judging from some of the comments available here (note: article and comments are in French), I'm not the only person who isn't exactly happy with these changes. I sincerely hope that the staff of Senscritique pays attention to the feedback and restores some of the old functions. Because as it is, this has severely put a damper on my enjoyment of a site, that, up until now, was one of my favorite places on the Internet.

Update (05/10 -22): I just learned that the ancient site is still accessible at old.senscritique.com. Question is for how long?

A Few More Quick Takes

 Note: An asterisk in front of the title indicates that this is a revisit (as you can see, most of them are this time around).

Record of the Lodoss War*

I have a huge soft spot for the original Record of the Lodoss War OVA. Sure, neither the world and the story is exactly brimming with innovation; it's your typical medieval fantasy-setting with elves, dwarfs, dragons, etc. However, the story is told well and most of the characters, while not exactly the deepest that the medium has offered, are engaging to watch. Also, the opening and ending theme are both excellent. Its not one of my absolute favorite anime, but if you're in the mood for some Tolkienesque high-fantasy, than Record of the Lodoss War is well worth checking out.

Chernobyl

I came into Chernobyl with high expectations, having heard almost nothing but positive things about it, since it first came out. I was not disappointed: This is a splendid mini-series, which had me captivated throughout its six episodes. Visually it looks great and Jared Harris, Emily Watson and the always reliable Stellan Skarsgard, delivers top-notch performances. Listening to the official podcast, its also clear that the writers have done their research and have made sure to depict this catastrophe with all the weight it deserves (though obviously some artistic license have been taken for the sake of the story). All this combines to make Chernobyl one of the best things to come out of HBO, if not the best.

Hook*

Back when my age was in the single-digits, this was one of my two favorite movies (the other being The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen, my first Terry Gilliam film). As an adult, no, its not one of my  favorites, but I do maintain that its an enjoyable film, with an interesting premise (what if the boy who never grew up, actually grew up?) and  featuring some entertaining performances from Robin Williams, Bob Hopkins and Dustin Hoffman (incidentally, this movie's depictions of Smee and Captain Hook are much closer to Barrie's original versions of these characters than Disney's, especially Smee). A very underrated movie.

Wicked City*

 Yoshihaki Kawajiri's solo debut as an anime director is as stylish and atmospheric as his later works. Unfortunately, Wicked City is marred significantly by its treatment of its female lead, Makie. Initially presented as a skilled warrior, the equal to the male protagonist, Taki, most of her screen-time consists of being perved on by the lecherous old diplomat she and Taki have been assigned to protect, or sexually assaulted by the villains. These aspects of the film comes across as incredibly gratuitous and makes it hard for me to recommend Wicked City to anyone but the most hardcore of Kawajiri fans

The Lives of Others*

I remember liking this German movie back when I first saw it, some years ago. However, a re-watch really elevated it in my estimation and I now rank The Lives of Others among my favorite movies. 

At its core, its a powerful redemption story, about a man who discovers his humanity after years of being a willing cog in the machine. Ulrich Mühe delivers a fantastic performance as the Stasi-agent Wiesler. Oh, and the ending is one of the best I've seen in a movie. It actually made me tear up a bit, I admit.

Woke Up This Morning, Sat Down And Wrote This Blog

 There's a scene in Bojack Horseman in which major character Mr. Peanut-butter admits to his date that he has never seen The Wire, and doesn't think he's going to.

With that in mind, I too have a TV-related confession to make and appropriately enough, its related to another much celebrated HBO-title. What I'm about to tell you is something that I've kept to myself for a long time, but now, I've decided that the time has come for me to come clean and admit the truth:

I've never finished The Sopranos and at this point in life, I have no interest in doing so.

Because of its immense reputation, not to mention the fact that it was one of the first major hits for HBO (a network which are responsible for many shows I like, certain missteps aside), I've attempted more than once to watch The Sopranos all the way through, only to end up losing interest down the line. At this point, I've decided to stop trying. Over the years, I've come to realize that this show really isn't my kind of tortellini. 

Why is that? You may wonder. Well, it all comes down to the characters and the fact that I didn't give half a canelloni for most of them (OK, that's the last reference to Italian cuisine, I promise). Some of them are played by talented actors, but I didn't find the majority of them interesting as characters. Come the fourth season, the entire cast could have been moved down by machine-gun fire and my only reaction would have been to shrug. At that point, even Tony himself had grown stale to me, despite James Gandolfini's performance. 

One character I found genuinely intriguing was  Livia Soprano; Tony's  horrible, scheming mother (is it just a coincidence, I wonder that she shares name with Sîan Philips' character in I, Claudius aka the best female villain I've ever seen?). Livia is essentially a ruthless gangster, stuck in the body of a decrepit old woman. Nancy Marchand delivered the best performance in the entire show, by far (even more so than Gandolfini).The Scene in which Tony confronts Livia at the hospital was one of the rare moments in my eyes, when The Sopranos actually lived up to its reputation.

Sadly, Marchand passed away early in the show's run, leading to her character being written out (for obvious reasons), bar a cameo-appearance in a dream-sequence. Her absence from the rest of the show is felt.

I will also give praise to the opening theme-song. Easily, one of the best, most memorable theme-songs ever. 

The Sopranos is not the worst TV-show I've seen (its not even the worst one from HBO), but it is certainly among the most overrated. While I may have initially got caught up in the hype surrounding it, ultimately the show did not manage to keep my interest in the longer run, whether in its capacity as a family-drama or a show about organized crime. Admittedly, stories about the mafia doesn't excite me as much as they used to. Even so, I'll take movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas, or even Carlito's Way over The Sopranos any day.

Chapter 68

 From the Editor's Desk:

Today was a day of celebration, for it was on this day that the Vinolian ships returned home. The Vinolian Gazette was there, standing among the crowds as the flagship sailed into harbor and the soldiers, one by one, filed down the gangplank in that orderly and disciplined fashion that is one of the signums of Her Majesty's troops. Last, but certainly not least, not setting foot on the stones of his homeland, before any of his men, came General Jerradin. Tall and imposing, he stood there, the very embodiment of the Vinolian warrior spirit; terrifying in battle, but magnanimous in victory. Shield to Vinoli and those whom she calls friend. Sword to her enemies.

As soon as the General had stepped ashore, members of the city-watch called out for the crowds to make way, as members of the council were approaching. Marcus, current leader of the council and Regent during the absence of our beloved Monarch, held a speech, the entirety of which has been reprinted within the pages of this publication, for the perusal of our readers. 

Once the esteemed Councilor had finished his speech, to thunderous applause, another member of the Council gave the band a signal and soon, the first tunes of our national anthem wafted through the air, followed by the sound of a thousand voices singing, some better than others, but each with the same conviction and the same intention: To honor the heroes who, at the risk of life and limb, have helped restore a rightful Prince to his throne and have helped spread our culture and our values beyond their own homeland.

Touching as this display of patriotism was, it paled compared to what followed: As soon as the last verse had been sung and the homecoming soldiers rushed into the waiting arms of their family. It was sight to bring a tear to the most cynical eye.

This Publication is printed with the approval of The Royal Bureau of Public Relations and our beloved Queen and Sovereign: Her Imperial Majesty, Argath I.

Vinoli Above All

****

Shifting his weight from one leg to the other, Jeraddin stifled a yawn and continued listening to Marcus' banal speech with only half an ear. He did not join in when the singing started. Had it been the old national anthem, he would have, but that one had died with the old King, replaced by a new one, that was not to the lynx's taste. Instead, to avoid being suspected of unpatriotic behavior, he simply mimed the words instead. Fortunately, no-body noticed. 

Finally, the ceremony came to an end and the soldiers and their families dispersed, either heading home, or out on the town to celebrate their homecoming. Jeraddin was about to head home as well, when he found his path blocked by several representatives of various government-approved papers. They swarmed around the lynx, waving their notebooks and quills, each of them trying to get his attention.

Jeraddin sighed, he was really not in the mood for this. Still, best to give the press what it wants, but on his own terms:

"Quiet" he said, in an authoritative tone. 

Immediately, they noise stopped. 

"Now then, I will answer one question" Jeraddin held up his index-finger for emphasis. "From one of you." His finger swept over the scribes and landed on the youngest among them; a chipmunk.

The Chosen Scribe stepped forward, trying to keep the butterflies in his stomach from fluttering. 

"Um...." He began, eloquently.

"Go ahead" Jeraddin said, encouragingly. "Ask your question."

 The Chipmunk took a deep breath, the butterflies stopped.

"General" he said, after having cleared his throat. "You have just returned after a long campaign overseas. What are you going to do now?"

"As soon as I get back home, I'm going to take a bath. Afterwards, we'll see. Though I can say that I will enjoy sleeping in my own bed again. Now, if you'll excuse me."

At a gesture from Jeraddin, the scribes parted like the red sea, allowing the lynx to pass. Soon, he was back on the street where he lived, looking up at his home. Never before had the town-house looked as welcoming to Jeraddin as it did this very moment.

"Well" he said to himself. "I suppose absence really does make the heart grow fonder."

He pushed open the door and went inside.

****

Another figure returned to Vinoli that day, albeit on a different ship than the one Risha's and Leorin's father and Nasari's husband had been travelling on. No friends or family members had gathered at the harbor to welcome this traveler home, nor was he mobbed by scribes. He was all alone and this suited him fine. 

Making his way through the crowds, the solitary figure eventually found himself outside the palace-gates. Boldly, he stepped forward.

"Halt!" Said one of the guards currently on duty. "No-one enters without permission!"

"Oh, but I have permission" Salsky announced, with a smirk."See here."

Reaching into the folds of his cloak, the water-rat produced a passcard, stamped with the Royal seal. 

"Very well" the first guard said, after having inspected the card carefully. "You may enter."

"Thank you" Salsky said. He was just about to set foot on the palace-grounds, when he stopped and turned to the guard.

"By the way" he said. "I have a message to deliver to someone named Lorenzo. You wouldn't know where I can find him, by any chance?"

Before she had embarked on her journey to Guanaca, Argath had gathered the members of her Council and had given them instructions on how her Kingdom should be governed, while she was away. She also gave Lorenzo instructions to keep an eye on the Councilors and make sure that none of them took any unauthorized initiatives.

Many who found themselves in Lorenzo's position would have been tempted to promote it, from temporary to permanent, but not Argath's right paw. Whatever flaws in his character the fox possessed, disloyalty was not one of them. He was loyal to his friends and he was loyal to his Queen and mentor. Not the least because, in exchange for that loyalty, she provided him with all the money and power he could want. 

He was busy going over reports from his various spies in the capital, when one of the palace-guards entered, with a shabby-looking water-rat in tow.

"Sir" the guard said, saluting. "This soldier says that he has an important message for you."

"That's right" Salsky interjected. "From the Queen herself."

"Give the letter to him" said Lorenzo, pointing at the guard. 

Salsky did as he was told and the guard handed the letter over to Lorenzo.The Fox opened the letter and read its contents. Once he was done, he looked up.

"Return to your post" he said to the guard. "I wish to speak to him (he pointed at Salsky), alone."

The Guard saluted and left the room.  Once they were alone, Lorenzo motioned for Salsky to come closer.

"Have a seat, soldier" Lorenzo said, motioning to the chair intended for visitors.

Grateful, for his feet was beginning to ache, Salsky sat down.

"Her Majesty speaks well of you, um..."

"Salsky, Sir."

"A Frigonian name. Interesting."

"I'm Frigonian  only by birth, In my heart I am Vinolian".

"Of course. Our Queen wants me to take you into my service, as a member of the Bureau of Information Gathering. She believes you can be of more use to Vinoli there than in the army."

Salsky said nothing, but his stomach did and quite loudly at that.

"Hungry?" Lorenzo asked, raising the eyebrow located above his good eye. "Listen, there are some formalities that need to be taken care of. Go down to the kitchen and have them feed you, then return here."

"Yes, Sir" Salsky said eagerly, getting off the chair. "Thank you, Sir."

As soon as Salsky had left, Lorenzo picked up the letter and read it through one more time. Here's what it said:

I have learned that my sister and Jeraddin's brood did not drown as we had been told, but are still alive. Should the subversive elements within the Kingdom find out about this, it may well embolden them to start a revolution. Keep your eyes open. I know not of the whereabouts of Merees, but if by chance she would find a way back into Vinoli, make sure to deal with her before she has the opportunity to cause any mischief. 

I grow weary playing in the sandbox that is Guanaca. I have appointed Felix as the new Governor and shall return to Vinoli shortly, bringing my consort with me. 

-Argath.

The Rest of the letter detailed what Lorenzo had already told Salsky. Once he had finished reading it, the fox crumpled the letter into ball and tossed it in a nearby waste-basket. 

Two by Perutz

 Some authors attain fame only to find themselves relegated to obscurity, while still alive. Such was the case with Leo Perutz, who claimed in a letter he wrote in 1949 that the entire literary establishment treated him as though he did not exist. Indeed, never had existed at all.

And yet, at one point, Perutz was a Name; an author whose writings won him  the admiration of Italo Calvino, Ian Fleming (who called him a genius), Jorge Luis Borges and others.

Leo Perutz was born in Prague in 1882 in a family of Spanish-Jewish origin. In 1889, the Perutz family moved to Vienna, where Leo would live until the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, at which point he immigrated to Palestine. Later, after the war he would occasionally return to Austria. He died in 1957, in the spa-town of Bad Ischl.

My personal experience with Perutz's bibliography comes from two of his later novels: The Swedish Cavalier (Der Schwedische Reiter) and By Night Under the Stone Bridge (Nachts Unter der Steinernen Brücke). Both of which I've read in their most recent Swedish translations, published by Nilsson Förlag. Its these two works that I've chosen to focus on in this post.

By Night Under the Stone Bridge is set in Prague, during the reign of Rudolph II (1552-1612). Rudolph was known as a man with extravagant tastes, as well as being an avid collector, with an interest in the occult arts. A man who'd make a compelling subject for a book, in other words. 

Perutz does a fantastic job bringing the time-period to life; taking the reader from the opulence of the palace, to the narrow alleyways of the Jewish ghetto, allowing the reader to meet a varied cast of characters.

Perutz began working on By Night Under the Stone Bridge in 1924, but due to various circumstances he was not able to finish it until 1951. At first, newcomers may find themselves a bit confused as to whether or not its a novel they've picked up, or a collection of short-stories. Each chapter seems to be self-contained. Soon, however, characters and themes begin to re-occur and gradually, it all comes together.

The Swedish Cavalier, which was originally published in 1936, differs from By Night Under the Stonebridge in that its told in a more linear fashion and focuses on a single protagonist. The Fantastic elements are also less prominent here, than in the aforementioned work, though they still exist. 

What The Swedish Cavalier has in common with By Night Under the Stonebridge is its historical setting. This time, the scene is Europe, in the early 18th century and as the story begins, two men are fleeing through a snow-clad landscape. They are a thief, whose name is never given and Christian von Tornefeld, a Swedish nobleman who is determined to join up with the army of Charles XII. Having sought shelter in an old mill, the two men are soon joined by the mill's owner. A sinister figure (perhaps a ghost?), who is in the service of the local Bishop. The Meeting with the miller will end up changing the lives of both men, forever.

The Swedish Cavalier deals with themes such as; identity, betrayal (both committed by the protagonist and against him), the search of happiness and redemption, while also being an excellent adventure story, filled with exciting moments and starring a complex and engaging anti-hero.

If one were to ask me which of these two books I preferred, I honestly don't think I would be able to give an answer. They are both fantastic reads that made me join the ranks of Perutz's admirers.

Highly recommended

(Shown below are the covers to the most recent Swedish translations)

Disco Elysium

Some people are slow readers, that is not a charge that could be laid at my doorstep. Admittedly, I am slow when it comes to many things (such as updating this blog, to name one example),  but reading is not one of them. 

I am, however, a slow gamer. It can take me weeks, even months to finish a game that take other people mere days, if that. Part of that is due to the fact that I'm not a terribly good at videogames, the other reason is because of laziness and procrastination. I have several games on GOG and Steam that I installed, played for a bit and then uninstalled thinking: Eh, I'll finish it some other time. It was not that I thought the games in questions were bad, I just wasn't in the mood, at the time. 

However, I recently finished a game and it wasn't one I had played before and that game was Disco Elysium and so, here are my thoughts about this game.

Now, you might be wondering what kind of game Disco Elysium is? Disco Elysium is a RPG created by the Estonian developer ZA/UM. It was originally released in 2019, followed by an updated version called The Final Cut in 2021. It's this version that I played.

Art, featuring the game's main characters: Kim Kitsuragi and Harry Dubois. The Woman in the background is Dolores Dei, one of the world of Elysium's most influential historical figures.

Disco Elysium takes place in the city of Revachol. Once the capital of Elysium, the world of the game, Revachol is now under the control of the Coalition of Nations. You play a man who has just woken up in a hotel room, with a massive hangover and no recollection of who he is. You soon learn that you're Harry Dubois and that you're a member of the Revachol Citizens Militia (that is, you're a cop). A man has been found hanged in a tree and it is up to you to find out whether or not it was suicide or murder. You are not really feeling up to the task, but fortunately you've been assigned a partner from another department: Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Will you pull yourself together, solve the case and maybe redeem yourself in the eyes of the world? Or will you continue on the downwards spiral you're currently on? Or will you do something else entirely? Its all up to you, what kind of cop you're going to be. 

Disco Elysium is unique among the RPG that I've played in that it dispenses with traditional combat. I'm sure that this reveal just caused some of the more conservative-minded RPG fans among you to run for the hills (or to the nearest forum/social media platform), but personally I'm all for it. Don't get me wrong; I have nothing against combat in an RPG. I expect (and accept) it, just as I expect inventory-based puzzles in a point & click adventure game. However, I see no reason why something should be mandatory, simply because its ubiquitous. 

However, if you assume that the absence of combat mean that you can not die in this game, you'd be mistaken. There are plenty of ways to get a 'game over'  in Disco Elysium, including dying of a heart-attack or 

As is common for the genre, Disco Elysium, gives the player a set of skills, which they can then level up by talking to people and solving quests.This is, of course nothing new; what makes Disco Elysium stand out is that each skill also make up different aspects of Harry's character and is, therefore, equipped with a personality of its own. As such, your skills will frequently interject to comment on something, bicker with each other and so on. 

Throughout the game, the player will come across skill-checks, the outcome of which depends on the points assigned to the skill necessary. Most of these are white skill-checks and can be retried once you've leveled up sufficiently. Red skill-checks, however, does not offer that opinion, so you may want to be absolutely certain before you try to tackle one. 

Disco Elysium does not provide the player with a huge, sprawling world to play around in. This does not mean that the game is small, however. My first play-through took me a total of 40 hours and afterwards I felt as if I hadn't uncovered half of the game's secrets. 

If there's one area where Disco Elysium truly shines, its in the player's interaction with the people of Revachol. Some of the people like aging cryptozoologists Lena and Morell are friendly and open, others, like Klaasje are secretive or downright hostile. Regardless, Disco Elysium presents the player with some of the most fully-realized, well-written characters in all of gaming. 

If there's one character that deserves to be singled out its your partner, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. A strong contender for best sidekick in a game, Kim serves as the straight-man your often weird or eccentric behavior. During my play-through, earning the trust and respect of this fictional character became one of my top priorities.

I came into Disco Elysium with high expectations and those expectations were more than met. This is a game that has earned its place among my personal favorites. Revachol is a place I will definitely revisit and I'm interested to see what else ZA/UM has in store for the gaming world.