Awwwwwww, you beat me to it here. :( Can you put up a poll for the various candidates for Mr X + an option for other, so people can vote?
I'll put what I was going to do as a post in comments now. Firstly what the idea is, secondly some of the relevant text. thirdly what we know about the Mysterious Mr X, and lastly the suspects.
The idea: Freece's last chapter does seem to heavily imply that Torveld was not the intended recipient of Laurent's message. That means we have to look elsewhere - who else? Geographically, the map shows the border for Patras and Rabat is practically on top of that for Akielos as well. Could Laurent have been employing his "verisimilitude" tactic to give appearance to the lie, trying to make the Regent think it was Torveld he was writing to? It was an easy lie to buy into, given the closeness between Torveld and Laurent at Arles. But was that deliberate cover to hide another alliance?
The text:
And there was a man of about thirty with a dark, closely trimmed beard sitting on the bed, who propelled himself off it and onto one knee when he saw Laurent.
Damen sat down rather heavily on the chair by the door.
"Your Highness," the man said, kneeling.
"Rise," said Laurent. "You must have come every night, long after the time when you were due an answer."
"While you were camped at Nesson, I thought there was a chance your messenger would come," said the man, standing.
"He was detained. We were followed from the keep as far as the eastern quarter. I think the roads in and out will be watched."
"I know a way. I can leave as soon as we're done."
The man drew a piece of sealed parchment from inside his jacket. Laurent took it, broke the seal, and read the contents. He read it slowly. From the glimpse Damen caught, it looked like it was written in a cipher. When he was done, he dropped the parchment into the fire, where it curled up and blacked over.
Laurent took out his signet ring, and pressed it into the man's hand.
"Give him this," said Laurent, "and tell him that I will wait for him at Ravenel."
The man bowed. He left by the door and made his way out of the sleeping inn. It was done.
"We are lucky the Prince's messenger got through with his signet ring," Damen acknowledged.
"What messenger?" said Torveld.
Damen thought the answer political circumspection, but then Torveld added, "The Prince approached me for men in Arles. I didn't agree until I was six weeks out of the palace. As for my reasons, I think you must know them." He motioned for one of his retinue to come forward.
I don't think I can insert a poll in an existing post, actually, so you can go ahead and make that as a separate post if you like!
This is interesting - I'd forgotten that Mr. X was supposed to show up at Ravenel (well, why else did we think it was Torveld XD;). But whoever it is wouldn't expect Laurent to be in Ravenel, so... maybe Jord has come in search of Laurent and Damen to tell them there're Akielon troops on the horizon? It would have to be something of a relatively emergency nature, at any rate.
Akielon troops on the horizon would surely mean an extension of Jord's midday deadline for Damen to leave, and thus give us a temporal resolution of his dilemma.
But then of course comes Nikandros with the troops...poor Damen might have to try wearing Enguerran's helmet as a disguise!
I'll put what I was going to do as a post in comments now. Firstly what the idea is, secondly some of the relevant text. thirdly what we know about the Mysterious Mr X, and lastly the suspects.
The idea: Freece's last chapter does seem to heavily imply that Torveld was not the intended recipient of Laurent's message. That means we have to look elsewhere - who else? Geographically, the map shows the border for Patras and Rabat is practically on top of that for Akielos as well. Could Laurent have been employing his "verisimilitude" tactic to give appearance to the lie, trying to make the Regent think it was Torveld he was writing to? It was an easy lie to buy into, given the closeness between Torveld and Laurent at Arles. But was that deliberate cover to hide another alliance?
The text:
And there was a man of about thirty with a dark, closely trimmed beard sitting on the bed, who propelled himself off it and onto one knee when he saw Laurent.
Damen sat down rather heavily on the chair by the door.
"Your Highness," the man said, kneeling.
"Rise," said Laurent. "You must have come every night, long after the time when you were due an answer."
"While you were camped at Nesson, I thought there was a chance your messenger would come," said the man, standing.
"He was detained. We were followed from the keep as far as the eastern quarter. I think the roads in and out will be watched."
"I know a way. I can leave as soon as we're done."
The man drew a piece of sealed parchment from inside his jacket. Laurent took it, broke the seal, and read the contents. He read it slowly. From the glimpse Damen caught, it looked like it was written in a cipher. When he was done, he dropped the parchment into the fire, where it curled up and blacked over.
Laurent took out his signet ring, and pressed it into the man's hand.
"Give him this," said Laurent, "and tell him that I will wait for him at Ravenel."
The man bowed. He left by the door and made his way out of the sleeping inn. It was done.
"We are lucky the Prince's messenger got through with his signet ring," Damen acknowledged.
"What messenger?" said Torveld.
Damen thought the answer political circumspection, but then Torveld added, "The Prince approached me for men in Arles. I didn't agree until I was six weeks out of the palace. As for my reasons, I think you must know them." He motioned for one of his retinue to come forward.
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This is interesting - I'd forgotten that Mr. X was supposed to show up at Ravenel (well, why else did we think it was Torveld XD;). But whoever it is wouldn't expect Laurent to be in Ravenel, so... maybe Jord has come in search of Laurent and Damen to tell them there're Akielon troops on the horizon? It would have to be something of a relatively emergency nature, at any rate.
Reply
But then of course comes Nikandros with the troops...poor Damen might have to try wearing Enguerran's helmet as a disguise!
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