[RPG][FEI][Lasanar] The pen and the sword

[Vincent Plouffe]

Ardeus and his one remaining medic rode at a brisk pace along the 
Colasan-Ozrat road, each toting a banner over his shoulder. The home guard 
had been assigned to garrison Colasan and there was no one else left to bear 
them.

"So you really intend to give up the sword, Sire?"

"I'm not giving anything up," Ardeus replied somewhat incredulously. "The 
realm needs more bureaucrats and I'll have to be wandering to hold court 
anyway. I might as well fulfill both functions and allow Galiard to keep 
every man he can up at the front."

"Still, it seems a step down from knighthood..."

A sharp from and poorly-concealed grimace from the Grand Justiciar were 
enough to fade the still-born sentence into silence.

"I suppose that depends on how you think of it. If knighthood is service in 
grand armies, then yes, this would seem a less glamorous task. However, 
there is a certain thrill to charging a rampaging group of monsters or 
undead with only a small force of militia at your back, and a sense of 
accomplishment at hearing the cheers of our victorious soldiers, knowing 
that it was our efforts that sustained their forces in the field. A knight's 
chief charges are duty and loyalty. Some serve in the front ranks, and it 
falls to others to ensure that the rear remains orderly and prosperous."

The medic appeared thoughtful, but unconvinced.

"Besides, as Grand Justiciar, I'm responsible for the bureaucratic corps. 
I've learned a great deal about keeping our regions in good order, thanks to 
insights provided by Francesca, Poison, Ingus and Belendel, but I'm still 
not entirely certain of their full potential. If this job is to be done 
properly, I should really know every aspect of it, from top to bottom and 
start to finish."

The medic's eyes narrowed shrewdly.

"There's another reason, isn't there."

Ardeus' eyes shifted uncomfortably to a short length of rope that never left 
his presence, tied in a hangman's noose.

"Sanzzos" he muttered. "We lost that region only a short time before I took 
over this office. I left hundreds hanging from every tree limb in sight and 
we still weren't able to restore order."

"Surely, there was nothing more you could have..."

"There wasn't." The response was terse and curt, belying the hidden anger 
behind them.

"We've made every conceivable effort to restore it, but it would take more 
resources than we've been able to spare. I spoke in council, once, about the 
practical realities of governance over the demands of individual honour."

"Sounds reasonable."

"It's necessary. But that doesn't mean it can't still bother the hell out of 
me. My heart and conscience come second, so long as I wear this badge of 
office. This, " he said, tapping his armored hand to his helm, "is what must 
prevail."

They traveled on in silence for several more miles.

"So where does this leave you?" asked the medic, after his long pensive 
pause.

"It leaves me with a sword, a pen, and nightmares of Sanzzos in winter."

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