[Anguirel]

Lord Cirdacil waved the two guard officers at the front aside, craning forward to get a better view of the fellow who had opened the door.

"Who is this fool?" he asked no one in particular, examining Rollan with impersonal disapproval. "I was under the impression these charlatans answered to a woman, one Mistress Celebrindal."

"If what I remember from Amlach is correct, father," Sador put in, speaking in his usual measured way, "this will be her husband, Master Rollan. He is a comedian, I gather, of some note."

Sador's honeyed accent sounded genuinely impressed to encounter such a renowned personage. But his father knew him well and understood that the main import of his explanation had been a slight. When, accordingly, he addressed Rollan directly for the first time his curt voice had lost none of its asperity.

"I have business with your consort, not you, sir. I want her, and that carpenter attached to the Revels purse - Amdir? yes, him, as soon as they can be found."

"Although," Sador added in an assuaging manner, "it will be good to have you present as well, Master Rollan, indeed. I think we have certain subjects to discuss that will interest you all. Finally, if your playwright, Master Aldarion, is at liberty from his intellectual pursuits, I have a letter for him that I would be grateful if you would deliver."

"So do I," said the leader of the guards, who had dismounted quietly from his roan horse, and, no sooner had Sador put his letter to Aldarion into Rollan's hand than the guard followed suit. Sador looked very taken aback by this, but his father had lost interest in this side-issue.

"Well, hurry up then," Cirdacil barked out anew. "Chop chop, my man, fetch the wifey, the carpenter and anyone else with an interest in the future of this...troupe. My escort is hungry; we shall wait here and tuck into a hearty breakfast."

The previously dour and wordless officers exchanged grins at last...