Стража! Стража!

           "Quiteso,and-"

           "Yougetthatwithkings,chivalry,"saidBrotherWatchtowerhappily."Andknights.Andtheyusedtohavethese-"

           "However,’’saidtheSupremeGrandMastersharply,"itmaywellbethatthelineofthekingsofAnkhisnotasdefunctashithertoimagined,andthatprogenyofthelineexistsevennow.Thusmyresearchesamongtheancientscrollsdoindicate."

           Hestoodbackexpectantly.Theredidn’tseemtobetheeffecthe’dexpected,however.Probablytheycanmanage’defunct’,hethought,butIoughttohavedrawnthelineat’progeny’.

           BrotherWatchtowerhadhishandupagain.

           "Yes?"

           "Yousayingthere’ssomesortofheirtothethronehangingaroundsomewhere?"saidBrotherWatch-tower.

           "Thismaybethecase,yes."

           "Yeah.Theydothat,youknow,"saidBrotherWatchtowerknowledgeably."Happensallthetime.Youreadaboutit.Skions,they’recalled.Theygolurkingaroundinthedistantwildernessesforages,handingdownthesecretswordandbirthmarkandsoforthfromgenerationtogeneration.Thenjustwhentheoldkingdomneedsthem,theyturnupandturfoutanyusurpersthathappentobearound.Andthenthere’sgeneralrejoicing."

           TheSupremeGrandMasterfelthisownmouthdropopen.Hehadn’texpectedittobeaseasyasthis.