continued - 2/12

* * *

Gunlan Mounsenker Galgandar, Second in Line for Patriarch, rested in discomfort at a country estate far from Coushar. Little news had come and it appeared that Hoular of the Mind had not been so foolish at all. The Eccentric had not come calling for him, and he grew bored and concerned for his plans lacking leadership in the city of Coushar. There was little he could do but had no desire to find his end at the hands of an Eccentric, so continued to wait. Returning would require something that would threaten his future. And a message came for him in that moment that would do exactly that.

"Master Gunlan, the Matriarch and your sister have called for the great clan. The great clan will be arriving in Coushar," the messenger intoned softly with head and eyes down.

Gunlan turned to the messenger, staring for a short time before cursing and standing.

"Call the carriage! We must return! Prepare everything quickly. We leave immediately. Have my belongings prepared and returned to the clan home by this evening. Do not be late! And inform my spy master to prepare the tide. It will be needed soon."

Gunlan turned away then stopped before turning to shout out, "Actually, have the spy master meet me at my carriage!"

Gunlan then turned away and left for the stables quickly, decorum pushed to breaking so he could arrive at the stables a bit faster. The boy sent ahead to run to the stables barely made it before him and the stable hands had only stumbled out of their laziness to begin removing the beasts from their stalls. Gunlan stifled his anger, knowing that any time taken to punish these fools would only delay his return. They worked rapidly enough once in his presence, and the beasts were quickly harnessed to the carriage. When the carriage was pulled out of the stable and into the front driveway, his spy master finally deigned to show up, rushing around the corner of the stable. Gunlan grimaced as the man came forward and dropped to his knees in a bow.

"You have wasted time. Get in the carriage. We may talk as we drive."

His spy master opened his mouth to disagree, but he had little time and quickly cut him off, "If you were so concerned with your identity, you should have arrived sooner before the beasts were harnessed. Get in."

The spy master quickly bowed and stepped aside to allow Gunlan in first, as was expected. The spy master, however, did speak quickly to one of the guards before stepping inside, whispering quickly and bluntly. Gunlan ignored it, and proceeded up the stairs and into the carriage, settling in the luxurious forward facing seat. His spy master wisely did not keep him waiting, and settling in the servant's seat across from him. His concubines followed after, crushing themselves into the corners on either side of the spy master, making sure to not touch the man accidentally as it would be their death. His spy master began immediately even as the carriage lurched into motion.

"How may I be of service, master?"

"What news do you have of the eccentric?"

His spy master seemed taken aback but spoke quickly, "I… apologize, master. There is no news. My spies have returned with little of relevance and nothing of pertinence."

Gunlan feared this was so, but still remained angered at the failure of his lackeys. If he knew who they were, he would surely kill them for their impertinence. As it was, his spy master wisely told him of the need to keep his identity secret for his own protection if the lackeys ever were captured and tortured. Thus, he kept himself far removed. Still, he could not let this failure be easily dismissed, "Punish them immediately. Speak to me of what you know."

The spy master immediately bowed again, "Of course, master. They will know their failure intimately. Only those who have followed his daily activities have much to report. He wakes, trains each morning, pursues the beginner dungeon or high dungeon, trains his apprentices, then rests each afternoon. Sometimes he eats at one of the guild halls or bathes, but mainly sleeps, wakes, trains himself and the apprentices, then sleeps again."

Gunlan frowned at that, "And news of who he is?"

The spy master immediately shook his head, "There is nothing. He is too well hidden. His arrival is unknown, origin hidden in mystery, and all divination and scries show nothing of who he is. His protection is… powerful."

Gunlan wrestled even more, uncertainty leaving him bound in inaction until he finally made the only decision available, "The man is too dangerous. Remove him. I care not how, simply remove him."

The spy master hid his frustration at the demand to kill or remove an eccentric who had power greater than almost all in the city, but he had little option to refuse.

"I… know of one way that may be possible. It will require time, however. If it does work, he will die."

Gunlan looked at his spy master carefully before he nodded, "Good. Go as you need. And kill the stable hands, they have cost me too much this day."

The spy master bowed, "Yes, master."

The man leapt from the moving carriage, the door slamming shut behind him. Gunlan, Second in Line for Patriarch, lay his head back and cursed the world. Why is all against me!

* * *

Joe woke in the morning once again alone, the darkness of the night still more of a dusk due to the massive gas giant in the sky. He lay in bed, trying to sleep in a bit as it was still the weekend but he had slept more than enough, so simply lay in bed relaxing for another few moments. He considered his next job, almost deciding to take the next saga priest job but then reconsidered, flipping open his available jobs listing to look at another job to pass the time.