Land's End, Part 1
“Are you suggesting we re-establish the Armistice Line?” Gilbetron asked incredulously.
Memorex’s first response was to shake her head. A moment later, though, after some consideration of his question, she began to nod slowly. “Of course, we won’t call it that. We’ll say it’s a provincial boundary. People will believe it to be for simple administrative purposes. There’s always been a de facto border between Lystria and the Western Territories, so all we’re doing is formalizing what already exists.”
Lord Gilbetron could hardly believe what he was hearing. It had hardly been a week since he’d first heard about his wife’s private decision to send the heads of twelve highwaymen to meet the invasion force sailing south from the Northlands. In truth of fact, the twelve men she’d had killed were hardly highwaymen at all; they were completely innocent except for their unfortunate ancestry. Their great-great-great-grandfathers had been involved in an attack that had killed the Northlander king on Lystrian soil almost three hundred years ago. He couldn’t imagine sacrificing innocents, but clearly his wife hadn’t agreed. In her words, there hadn’t been “any other option.” But he maintained neither of them had put nearly enough thought to it. He didn’t believe in a no-win situation.
Already Lady Telematrice and him had been estranged, though he still couldn’t figure out what had set it off. Now she was announcing her intentions to remain in Lystria permanently and send Gilbetron back to the western capital at Fort Reginald. This went way beyond splitting up assets; she was splitting the entire nation!
“Should I go and tell her you are agreeable to the proposition?” Memorex asked.
Gilbetron rolled his eyes. “Do no such thing.”
Memorex was his wife’s chief of staff at the castle. He had never cared for the woman, always hoping she would show her true colours one day and disappear for good, but he could hardly abide her standing in for Telematrice in what were quickly turning out to be separation proceedings.
He refused to give in until he knew what this was all about.
“Tell her I’m not leaving until she sees me off, face to face. I’m entitled to some answers.”