1)
“Why,” asked the Royal Vaultkeeper, “is there a woman’s hand sticking up out of yon mound of gold coins? And it’s MOVING.”
The guard peered. “Oh, that’s just Anthaya. Waving hello, I guess.”
“And just who is Anthaya?”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
3)
“Ah, she’s our, er, coin inspector.”
“No.”
“Sorry?”
“As it happens, I have the honor to be His Majesty’s coin inspector. So who is Anthaya, really?”
“I-I tell truth, Lord! She inspects our coins!”
“Who is this ‘our,’ precisely?” “Uh, we guards. She inspects OUR coins.”
“On their way into her purse?”
“Precisely! You have it!”
“Coins she acquires for…?”
“Making we guards less bored and therefore far more vigilant, Lord!”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
5)
…His Majesty’s coins?”
“Uh, resting, Lord.”
“From her exertions?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Why buried in coins, rather than something softer?”
“I see. So why, if divine her method of alleviating boredom correctly—a method that would seem to this admitted uninitiated personage, to require some large degree of physical proximity, is Anthaya over there, buried in…#epic fantasy “Uh, it’s a matter of modesty, Lord.”
“Hers?”
“So she’s unclad at this time?”
“Er…yes, Lord.”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
7)
“Would it be correct to characterize my visit as unexpected?”
“Ah, I believe so, Lord.”
“And her current state of dress due in part to that, and in part to her exertions?”
“Yes, Lord. I can explain everything, Lord!”#epic fantasy “You’re doing very well at that, thus far. So where, if it’s not too indelicate a question, are her garments?”
Shamefacedly the guard reached into his codpiece. And drew out a rather wrinkled dress.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
9)
“Ah, GOOD, Lord.”
The Royal Vaultkeeper drew his lens down from his forehead on its strap, and peered through it at the garment. Critically.
“No pockets, I see. Good, good. See-through thin; even better, for coin-guarding purposes.”#epic fantasy “Indeed. Tell me, have you paid Anthaya for this particular…set of exertions?”
“N-not yet, Lord.”
“Don’t. When done, send her to me for payment.”
“My Lord?”
“This should be an expense borne by the Crown, not an…#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
11)
…untaxed, undocumented, extra-curricular matter. Anthaya is providing a service to Crown personnel, and should be properly recompensed.”
“Oh. Lord.”
“So she’ll receive a pension when the time comes that her exertions become…#epic fantasy…too much; that sort of thing. It’s how we do things in this kingdom, Trusted Guardian. And if she doesn’t mind a personal observation, the hue of that garment does no favors at all to the hue of skin I just happened to …#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018
13)
…Trusted Guardian.”
espy among the coins, when she rolled over. And I believe we should institute, here and now, a new rule: no diving into the mounds of royal coins. Personal safety, you understand. Carry on with your superb vigilance, … “Yes, Lord. Thank you, Lord. You are a wonder, Lord.”
“As it happens, His Majesty made much the same observation, when last I saw Anthaya. She DOES get around. A boost to our internal economy, indeed.”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 31, 2018