The Throne Calls Thrice
An old law no one likes to speak of: when the Throne calls a person's name, it calls three times. For the first two, family may answer in his place — 'he is not here'. The third time, he must answer himself.
There is an old law in the royal palace, older than the present dynasty, never mentioned in ordinary days.
The law says: the Throne calls a person's name, and it calls three times. For the first and the second call, family may answer in his place — answer 'he is not here', and turn this round aside. But the third call, no one can take for him; the one who is called must open his own mouth and answer.
Legend tells of those who answered the third call. The Throne spoke no more, yet after that night the one who answered was gone — and the one taken away was, more often than not, not the one who answered. The old law records only the rule, not the reason; just as the Mutewall carves only names, never what the names are carved for.
Observer comments
0 records