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.