En Lieu, by Wanderer

Story name: En Lieu
Author: Wanderer
Publication date: June 13, 1999 (TSA-Talk)

Date: Between July and mid-August, 706 CR
Location: Metamor Keep (Keep library, throne room, ballroom)

Overview

En lieu of any diplomats, Wanderer is asked to entertain a noble without revealing he is a bard.

+ Story info - Spoilers!

Summary

Wanderer is summoned from his study of the Lightbringers to appear before Thomas. Having no other diplomats or ambassadors, he is to assume the role of a diplomat to entertain the Countess deFanu, without revealing he is but a lowly bard, instead pretending to be one of the official copyists in the Duke's library.

That evening, in court attire, he introduces himself to the countess, who is bored by the numerous courtiers insisting on dancing with her. Wanderer slips out a bit of verse, and the Countess asks him to finish. Charmed by his poetry, she asks for two more until Thalberg pulls him away and asks him to stop.

He returns to the Countess, and asks if she's heard the latest play. He tells about one scene with fine wordplay. When he gets to the line "Then you fight him!", however, his mind flashes back to the time when his best friend Christopher was wounded in a duel. The Countess takes him to a bench, where he explains and apologizes. The Countess smiles and thanks him for the company, a reprieve from tiresome courtiers. She asks for a dance, and for the evening, Wanderer is able to forget.

Characters

Main characters:

• Wanderer: The Keep's bard. He is told to entertain a countess without revealing his bardic nature. He fails, though she is delighted by his wit and humor.
  • His senses are more wolf-like than human; he can smell and hear Quiz well, but he only sees a blurry shape unless it is in motion.
  • Wanderer was present at Chris's duel, and has been replaying the memory in his mind since then.

Supporting:

• Thalberg: The Keep's Steward. He watches Wanderer to make sure he plays his part.
  • He is unaware or indifferent to Wanderer's senses.
• The Countess deFanu: A well-connected aristocrat visiting Metamor Keep.
  • Her colors are burgundy and white. She wears rose oil.
  • Her countship is a vassal of Metamor's, as she refers to "our king" with Wanderer.

Minor characters:

• Quiz: A messenger for the Keep, a female snake gendermorph.
• Thomas: The Duke of Metamor Keep.

Important mention:

• Christopher: A tutor of the Keep. He fought in a duel, in which he lost his legs.

Referenced:

• Fox Cutter: The Keep librarian.
• Raven: The Keep's Lothanasi priest, and Wanderer's lover.
• Posti: The recently deceased Prime Minister of the Keep.
• Charles Matthias: The Headmaster of the Writer's Guild.

Locations

• Wanderer's quarters are distant from the throne room, to give him much-needed privacy for composition.

Story Connections

• Chris's duel took place in Ward.

Points of Interest

• "Against the Night: Being an Account of the History of the Lightbringers" is a book detailing the history of the Lightbringers. The Keep library has only one copy, deep within its stacks.
• Wanderer recounts some dialogue from a new play, which is a rewording of a well-known scene from The Court Jester.

Pawns of the Gods
Stories	For Knowledge's Sake · Lightbringer · Tail of a Young Wolf · Fetish · Ward · En Lieu
	The Lessons Trilogy	Lessoned · Hard Lessons · Lessons of Solitude
	Lethe · For I Am Lost · Passing Notes · Clearing Away · The Winter Assault · Misericardia · Koinonia · A Pawn Advances · Lessons of Faith · Dances
Major Characters	Christopher · Wanderer · Raven · Lurene