Стража! Стража!

           Thearrivalofahugetriflewithalotofcreamonitonlyservedtoconcentratetheirminds.

           "Er,"saidtheheadmerchant,"howoftenisthekinghungry?"

           "Allthetime,"saidWonse,"butiteatsonceamonth.Itisreallyaceremonialoccasion."

           "Ofcourse,"saidtheheadmerchant."Itwouldbe."

           "And,er,"saidtheheadassassin,"whendidthekinglast,er,eat?"

           "I’msorrytosayithasn’teatenproperlyeversinceitcamehere,"saidWonse.

           "Oh."

           "Youmustunderstand,"saidWonse,fiddlingdesperatelywithhiswoodencutlery,"thatmerelywaylayingpeoplelikesomecommonassassin-"

           "Excuseme-"theheadassassinbegan.

           "Somecommonmurderer,Imean-thereisno...satisfactionthere.Thewholeessenceoftheking’sfeedingisthatitshouldbe,well...anactofbondingbetweenkingandsubjects.Itis,itisperhapsalivingallegory.Reinforcingthecloselinksbetweenthecrownandthecommunity,"headded.

           "Theprecisenatureofthemeal-"theheadthiefbegan,almostchokingonthewords."Arewetalkingaboutyoungmaidenshere?"

           "Sheerprejudice,"saidWonse."Theageisimmaterial.Maritalstatusis,ofcourse,ofimportance.Andsocialclass.Somethingtodowithflavour,Ibelieve."Heleanedforward,andnowhisvoicewaspain-filledandurgentand,theyfelt,genuinelyhisownforthefirsttime."Pleaseconsiderit!"hehissed.