Embassies

Balder woke up at the end of the alley, not quite sure how he'd got there. Patriots were generous these days, and the old fyros usually ended his days in a blissful unconsciousness brought on by alcohol. As for the side effects the next day, there was only one remedy worth seeking: to find someone willing to offer him a shooki.

He peeled off a sheet of paper that had stuck to his cheek thanks to... Better not to think about "glue". A few words on the paper caught his eye. "...akenakos... Politics..."

He let out a groan. This was trouble. He'd already had a hard time being forgotten during the episode with the Renegades. He was too old to be running around in sawdust. Nor was he old enough to spend hours in the cool halls of the palace, with nothing to drink to keep him going. Besides, now that Azazor was back, and there were plenty of official akenakos and patriots and all, for an akenos to disappear wouldn't be noticed for a moment.

Now that he thought about it, there was this lovely homine, back in Fairhaven, who'd offered him a taste of the local production, the stuff they dared to call "bhyr", over there. Well, it was mektoub piss, from what he'd drunk so far, but he was willing to give the brew another chance. Let's say, until the political mess had been cleared up, and so that no akenakos came to force him back to the palace. Now he was going to give a little of himself, and see if he couldn't help the friendship between peoples. He must still have that pact lying around somewhere... all he had to do was find it.

Even drunk, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to consider making the trip on foot.

To prepare the future akenak, Azazor was looking over the minutes of the last meeting, which he had been unable to attend as he was still in the Old Lands.

Given the chill cast by his letter concerning a rapprochement with the Marauders, it would be a delicate matter for him to raise the subject again. Perhaps he should wait a little longer, or risk angering the patriots more than anything else. Already, he was going to listen to the people's opinion about the other desert tribes, and in particular the Renegades. That would be the first step.

As for the water route, Balder's detal had reported nothing on the subject, and on the rare occasions he had come across him since, he had been in such a drunken state that he was unable to remember anything. Still, he would have liked to know the patriots' initial opinion on the proposal to pass through the Naveruss Matis forest. He would have liked to see who thought it was stupid, and who he could rely on in a few days' time to ensure that such a route was never proposed again. But he would have to live with it.

Besides, she needed to find Balder to remind him of the meeting. Just to make it clear to him that he had to come, so he couldn't come up with any lame excuse to get out of it. He had signed up to be an akenos. His status allowed him to drink on the side. But he still had to assume a minimum of responsibility.