Return to the KingIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | ReturnToTheKing Morgan rode through the main gate of Amber Castle, and slid off the chestnut mare. "Here," he said tossing the reins to the groom who came running up to him. "You might want to try to find out who she belongs to, and return her. Or just put her in the stables. Whatever. Give her some oats and a good rubdown first, of course." Whistling, he walked up the steps of the castle, heading for the king's chambers. The guard he had left there was still standing on watch, bolt upright, with a certain fixed and glassy stare in his protuberant blue eyes. Morgan paused at the door, then poked the guard in the chest. "Hey, you in there?" he asked. "Or are you sleeping with your eyes open?" The guards swayed slightly at the touch but made no other reponse. His eyes remained fixed, wide and staring ... he seemed to be in some sort of trance. "Great!" Morgan muttered. In a single fluid motion he drew his sword, turned the handle of the door, and flung himself against the door and into the room. The room was completely empty. "Space it!" Morgan swore. "Space it! Space it! Space it!" He did a quick run through the entire suite, to be certain that Merlin wasn't in one of the other rooms, throwing open all the closet doors, sweeping aside curtains, and even looking under the bed. There was no sign of the King anywhere - although there was evidence (in the form of dampened towels etc) that someone had used the bathroom (a Chaosian innovation, warmly encouraged by Flora). Morgan snarled, then stopped, closed his eyes, and took a long, calming breath. Then he quickly went over the room, looking for signs of struggle, anything missing that had been there when he was last there, ot anything there now that wasn't there before. Then he was back out the door, and he grabbed the guard by the collar and began slapping him. Hard. "WAKE! UP!" he punctuated each slap with a single syllable. "WAKE! UP! WAKE! UP!"! The man gave a little grunt and a start, and then appeared to blink before drawing his sword fast. Finally he seemed to become aware of who it was and lowered the blade. "Oh, it's you, Sir! You startled me," he said. "I'm guarding the King ... just like he told me to. He said I was doing a splendid job, and I should give it my whole ... concentration." He frowned and blinked again. "Right," Morgan drawled. He stepped back and looked the man up and down. "Looks to me like you dozed off a bit. It happens, but I'm sure your officer wouldn't understand. We'll let it pass this time, shall we? Just tell me the last thing you recall." "I didn't doze off, Captain Morgan, sir!" the guard said indignantly. "I was standing guard here, and the door aopened, and the King came out." His voice faltered and he began to frown. "He asked ... what I was doing here and ... and I said, I was guuarding him. And he said he was sure that I was doing a plendid job - very hearty about it, he was, Sir - you know his way. And I thanked him ... and he said ... he said he was sure that it ... it was a hard job ... that took all ... all my concentration ... " His voice was trailing off again now - and his eyes were acquiring a certain glassiness. "All ... my ... " "All your concentration," Morgan agreed in a low, soothing voice. He stepped away from the guard then and looked around the hallway. "Merl," he said quietly. "What are you up to?" Then he gave a decisive nod, and headed for Larissa's quarters. His path there was uninterrupted. Morgan gave a cursury knock on the door as he opened it and walked in. (Morgan continues in A Busy Day) |
