[Cheezeninja]

-Abysia turn 4-

"Hail to thee, good neighbor! Warm tidings and good will, how goes your day?"

"By the by, my friend, I can say little except that it passes. Have you heard the news?"

"The news? My friend I had no idea there was news, let alone the nature of such news."

"Ahh, then i can assure you there is indeed news, news of such import as to arouse the interest of all who hear it."

"As to that, I can assure you it must be true, for you have not yet told me this news and already I feel my interest aroused to nearly unbearable levels."

"How, you wish to hear the news?"

"By the Horse yes! I wish very much to hear this news, as you can percieve i am listening very closely."

"I do indeed percieve that you are listening closely my good friend, and as such will undertake to impart to you the news immediately."

"Ahh, well do so then, and I would indeed be in your debt."

"As to that, I shall then immediatly pass to you the news you desire to hear."

"The shard! Yes i desire to hear it, it seems i have desired nothing less for the Last half of and hour!"

"The news then, is this. I do not know the significance of it, but I can report that a messenger has arrived and put the palace into something of an uproar."

"How, an uproar?"

"Well, that is, a subdued uproar."

"What precisely," The first Neighbor inquired, "is a subdued uproar? For you percieve I desire precision of all things."

"I will describe it as best I can," Said the Second neighbor.

"I await your description with all eagerness," Said the First.

"Here it is, then: A messenger arrived some two days ago, that is, the day after we Last met."

"Well?" Said the First neighbor. "Whence came this messenger?"

"That I cannot tell you, only-"

"Yes?"

"He was a Abysian, and he wore the livery of the Army."

"There is nothing remarkable in that," said the First neighbor. "Messengers for the Army are often Abysians, and it is only proper that they wear the Army livery under such circumstances."

"Oh, I agree, there is nothing remarkable in that. Only-"

"Well?"

"His message."

"What was it?"

"I assure you, I havn't the least idea in the world."

"How," Said the first neighbor. "You have no idea?"

"None at all, on my word of honor."

"And then?" Replied the first.

"All i know is this: The messenger spoke to the Queen our Goddess for some time, and then departed, and after he left-"

"Well? After he left?"

"There were unmistakable signs of agitation in the behaviour of the Queen."

"And yet," Said the first neighbor, "She gave no indication as to the cause of Her agitation?"

"Only this," Replied the second. "She was heard to mutter something about the worthlessness of the Army and how She would be better off doing things Herself, then she ordered all to continue with the day as if nothing had happened and stalked off and has not been seen since!"

"indeed, that does seem to be portentious news my friend, though i know not what it means."

"Oh! I nearly forgot, though i know not the import of it," Said the second neighbor. "The messenger was also observed to be wearing several bandages about his head and arms."

"The Horse! You know not the import of it," Replied the first. "Why that nearly explains it all, in my reckoning."

"How, it explains it all?"

"Indeed, by my figuring it would seem that the Army suffered an unsightly defeat and our Queen has gone off to rectify the situation Herself."

"Ah! I percieve that your idea would seem to fit the situation exactly, and bears much merit. Many thanks my friend, for you have cleared up some worry i did have on my part as to the nature of the message, surely our Queen will set all aright in the near future."

"Think nothing of it, and thanks to yourself as well, for sharing such an interesting morsel of information with me."

"Cha! And what kind of neighbor would i be if i didnt share such thought provoking information with a dear friend of mine. Now, I shall take my leave, and let you return to your gardening."

At which point the two neighbors bade each other farewell and continued at their respective activities. Which in this case were walking towards ones own front door, and the digging up of a particularly truculent weed.


(I tried my best in this post to copy the dialogue of the incomparable Paarfi, under the pseudonym of Steven Brust. If you havn't read any Steven Brust then i suggest you do so immediately.)