“Before you ask Amondo I cannot accept the position of Constable of Membe Castle, there are many individual more suitable for the role, Marke Alfara for example.”
“Come now Elias I for one know that this isn’t the first time you have been offered such a role, nor the second. Something is holding you back I know not what it is other than the fact it is not just to do with your late wife. Perhaps it has to do with your father, perhaps not but whatever it happens to be it has a hold on you that you cannot seem to shake. But shake it you must, maybe the position of constable might be just the thing for you to begin to do so.”
“Still I cannot.”
“Why?”
“I cannot say, I do not know nor I suppose do I seek to know, not anymore at least. I thought settling down might help lay my demons to rest but instead all it did was increase their number. I did not love her you know, not as much as she loved me anyway. For a while, after her death, I thought the gods had punished me for my arrogance, that did not last but still I think of it occasionally. And don’t talk about my father like that whatever bewitches me it started long before his fall. My mother died giving life to me as well you known and my father’s mother too. I have given up on being more than I am, accept that fact and take me for what I am now, not how you’d wish me to be and please forget trying to change all that.”
“If that is the case then what good are you to me, I value our friendship you know, above all others. Mavin suggested I present you with an ultimatum but I am not going to do so, it is just not my style. I am instead just going to appoint someone else to the role.”
“Whom might that be then?”
“I was thinking Shau Rayun or maybe Melton Cardeu if he doesn’t accept it either.”
“As a cleric, Shau is suitable for the role but he doesn’t strike me as the kind to take it on, even less than me if I’m being truthful and it’s more of a younger mans role if you ask me. As for Melton while I can’t claim to know him all that well only having talked to him for a few minutes he doesn’t seem that great of a candidate for constable. He has the organisational skills I suppose but the role requires much more than that. Your trying to trick me into taking the role aren’t you well it’s not going to work.”
“If you say so, what about a compromise, I appoint one of them to the role and you can be his deputy, less responsibility but you’ll be helping me out.”
“So what kind of ultimatum did Mavin Suggest?”
“If you must know he wants me to make you choose from one of three options.”
“Let me guess take the job, leave your service or pay a visit to my wife’s grave.”
“Essentially correct though he did word that last one differently.”
‘A lot more long-winded I imagine.”
“No comment, so what do you say?”
“Alright you’ve twisted my arm but only if you can talk Shau into it, I won’t serve under Melton no one deserves that.”
“He’s not that bad, is he.”
“Seems the type anyway.”
“All right since that’s sorted why don’t you go and tell Shau I want to talk to him, you should be able to find him in the castle’s chapel and if he’s not their then try the village temple.”
I had time to catch up on some paperwork before the arrival of Shau and was in the middle of attaching my seal to a document when he showed up.
“So you must have been in the village temple when Elias caught up to you.”
“That I was Amondo, so I imagine that since Elias was the one to summon me on your behalf he has accepted your second proposal.”
“He did and as you feared he won’t work for Melton so you are going to have to be his boss.”
“Well it was my idea after all so why should I let someone else suffer for it.”
“True now we just have to stick to the plan and hope for the best.”
“Don’t worry son I’ll try my best to get him to open up and while I will not be the worst constable this castle has ever had I will try to get him to do as much for me as possible and my health being what it is who knows what might happen.”
“Thanks once again for agreeing to all this, I know you’re not exactly chopping at the bits to take on the job.”
“Well to tell you the truth I’ve not been as busy as I would like these last few weeks, there being two other more established clerics in the local area and them serving gods and goddesses more relevant to the community. Not that I’m complaining mind you but I’ve never been one to stand still.”
“Well thanks anyway.”
“So how are you coping with everything?”
“Well I’m taking every day as it comes you know and I have a plan, a very basic one mind you but a plan none the less. Hopefully, that will be enough and if it isn’t well so be it.
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