Friday Fiction: Thrand (Part 20, Notes and Outline)

Gawnich (the highly placed Morg magistrate from the beginning of the story, one of the Lord Chief Justice’s seconds-in-command and likely to be his successor) meets with Thrand to put forth his candidate to be the next King. This is the Morg Krod, a dull but worthy fellow, a merchant from a noble House, rich but ostentatiously honest in his dealings, given to flashy charitable works and supporting public projects. Gawnich happens to know he would be acceptable to a large swath of Morgish interests.

Krod has also, as Thrand finds after a little gentle but stern prompting, obtained Gawnich as his advocate through a sizable … ahem … retainer. Nothing particularly wrong with that; Thrand even appreciates Gawnich’s forthrightness in admitting it when it comes down to it. It even stands in Krod’s favor somehow in Thrand’s estimation; that he could win the support of someone as basically honest as Gawnich. Which honesty Thrand knows personally; if there was anything really wrong with Krod he could never had won Gawnich’s support, no matter how much he offered.

Thrand explains this to Kettil after he has sent Gawnich off with hope in his heart and a bug in his ear. The young apprentice still finds it somewhat shady, pointing out that Gawnich would then also have the support of the next King should Krod be chosen, and that would give him some clout when Thrand passes away and his successor must be nominated. Even so, the old Morg finds nothing outright objectionable in the suggestion.

Besides, the pressure is building for Thrand to make his decision. The City is growing restless and business is starting to back up. Nothing really wrong just yet, but everyone wants this period of uncertainty to be over. It’s making them nervous, not having anyone to trust (or to blame) for the welfare of the kingdom. Rumors are spreading (prompted by what or who, no one is sure) that the Ogres are planning to take advantage of the interregnum to mount a surprise attack. When will the Lord Chief Justice make his decision? Anyone would be better than no-one, the grumble goes. The Autumn Festival is fast approaching, and it cannot be celebrated with any easiness without the business being settled and a King securely in charge.

Thrand knows he has to make a judgement, and soon.

(Notes to the Notes: I really have to go back and solidify what Thrand’s title is exactly. Lord Chief Justice? Lord High Justice? Lord High Judge? High Justice? That’s what he was in Part One, almost two years ago. At this point I can’t remember what I had settled on. And we’ve come around to the Autumn Festival again. Have to check what time of the year this story started; of course the coronation of the new King doesn’t have to happen at the Festival, just be accomplished by then. Let's see if I can be finished - in some sense of the word - with the tale started August 2023. When I woke up at 2:30 AM this morning I had no idea what this next section would be about. All I knew was that I wanted to bring Gawnich back from the beginning of the story. I even vaguely thought this would be the end. But that's apparently next week.)