[HQ Ignorance] Scene 62: Marianne and Aalmon

[Nic Hughes]

On the eve of the celebrations Aalmon walks into Azhur's apartments, 
carrying a jug of wine and two cups.

"Well the time is nearly here and its a custom of ours to toast a man 
before his wedding, so please share the last of the wine with me. You 
have two ceremonies ahead of you, one is real and the other a piece of 
fakery. I am sure you realise that you will be king in name only, I hope 
you have thought through why someone would want such an obvious puppet 
on the throne and what price you might pay for it. I thought that 
dragging you away from the capital to this isolated provincial spot was 
rather rubbing your nose in it but if you don't mind I guess it is no 
concern of mine. I'm afraid I have no coronation present and even if I 
did I am not sure I would want to bless a pretence.

On the other hand the marriage is real enough. I confess I thought 
Marianne was part of the political plots to manipulate you at first - 
but I was wrong. If she has any ulterior motive I think its only to 
marry someone she has fallen in love with. You are a luckier man than 
you know. I am a long way from home so I have to apologise for the 
modest wedding gifts I can give to you."

He takes out a small velvet pouch with two polished tin stars on chains 
and hands them to Azhur

"I enchanted them so that if you hold one in your hands under the stars 
then the other star will glow slightly with the starlight.

Anyway I have spent long enough in a kingdom far away from home, I doubt 
if Lord Death on a Horse is as idle as we have been in the past few 
weeks. I came here to save Arrolia, not Seshnela. I will head back to 
Riverjoin as soon as our host has finished revealing all his oh so 
clever plans. Whichever weapon the fellowship seek out next I think the 
safest route will be via the trade routes across the Empire, I will 
request the necessary passes and permits and maybe if we are lucky I can 
arrange passage on a moon boat. You seem in no hurry to carry on the 
quest so I will probably rejoin my unit, I don't suppose it is any more 
futile a way to try to save my people than this has been.

Well good luck" and with that he drains his cup.

OOC: I think that wraps up Aalmon's involvement in scenes 61 and 62 well 
enough. I am going to drop out for a while. I will lurk keep an eye out 
for a suitable point to rejoin sometime later if you want me.

Nic