Outtake from Sauron Explains It All 4

Toward the back of the group, Llewella and Gerard stood in similarity and contrast. Both watched the arguments with something like boredom. He outmassed her by a margin of a wildebeest, but they both had perched on the same rough boulder. She stared into space, he rubbed his beard, and their siblings fought with each other.

Suddenly, he leaned toward her. “My liegeman Vo Tallath sends his regards.”

Llewella stared blankly.

“Vo Tallath,” said Gerard. “Dark hair. Little mustache. He likes you.”

In another time, Llewella would come to a brilliant reply. She thought of several of them in the shower the next morning. Instead, she blinked like she’d an eyelash caught in her eye. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening at all. What did you say?”

Gerard didn’t look offended. “One of my liegemen likes you. He sends his regards. Vo Talleth. I hear he’s handsome. I forgot until just now.”

Llewella massaged her damp hair. It seemed like it never dried. “Oh, a knight. Gerard, I’m not really interested in knights.”

“I’ll let him know. Too bad, though. He’s well read, and you came up in conversation.”

“How did I come up in conversation?”

“Vo Talleth thinks he’s something of a wit. His mouth is somewhat quicker than his sword arm, and neither has remarkable aim. On a float he said something funny to an Admiral Hahm, who didn’t find Vo Talleth’s remarks nearly as witty as Vo Talleth did. The admiral assigned him to write an analysis of Teylon Gramm’s amphibious invasion of the West Isles. Long story short, Vo Talleth came to me because I have pretty much everything ever written on the subject, and after he’d discovered I’d read far more than he had on naval tactics, we started talking books and the family. I figured you’re the other best read, and he mentioned he thought your were pretty. I said I’d pass it along, and I have.” Gerard waved his hands like spreading a feast before her.

Llewella, for her part, grimaced. “Tell him thank you very much.”

“Got it.”

Before Gerard could space back out, Llewella asked, “You think you’re the best read member of the family?”

He nodded. “I’m pretty sure I am. I have to read twice as much as the rest of you to keep up, so I read even more to stay ahead.”

“You found a way to be a meat head about reading.”

Gerard shrugged and grinned.

Llewella looked up at him and said, “That is both deeply shocking and somehow exactly what I expected you to say.” She shook her head.

Gerard wore a wry smile. “If you can’t keep up, I’ll assume I won.”

Now Llewella looked ever so mildly annoyed. “What are you reading now?”

“Chrissom’s Modern Logistics for Medium Range Fleet Operations–which I don’t suppose you’ve picked up.”

“I have not,” she admitted.

“Pity. It’s a page-turner. And Busong’s Obscene Poetry for Terrible People.”

“Is that the one full of dirty little limericks about the court?”

“Yep.”

“Aren’t you in there too?”

“Frequently and unflatteringly.”

“Then why in Amber would you read it?” Llewella demanded.

“Because he had jokes. He called me the lesser cousin of cattle, lacking a cow’s utility in the dairy barn or the bull’s utility in the ring. He said it better. Interesting guy. Got killed in a bullfight.”

“Am I in it?”

Gerard lost his wry smile. “No.”

“I’m not?”

“Nope.”