‘I really don’t know, milady,’ she said. ‘As I said to your mother, if it was a gift for the Governor, or one of the councillors, that would be a different matter. Who knows what small thing the King would like?’

‘He likes fish,’ said Roban. ‘Or he used to like fish.’

‘To eat?’ asked Clariel. She liked fish too, particularly trout she had tickled herself from one of the creeks that ran into the Estwael. Bled immediately, filleted and pan-fried with wild garlic and shallots on a campfire, fresh-caught trout was one of her favourite meals. Yet another thing she would miss now they lived in Belisaere.

‘No, bright fish from far away,’ said Roban. ‘Alive. He has them swim inside huge glass orbs. He likes … or he liked … to watch them.’

‘And you saw this when you were a Royal Guard?’ asked Clariel.

‘Yes, milady.’

‘Why did you leave?’ asked Clariel, before immediately regretting the question, as Roban’s neck tilted back and he once again looked up and past her shoulder at his invisible officer. Perhaps he was dismissed, she thought, for drunkenness or some dereliction of duty. ‘Oh, I’m sorry, that is a … a silly question.’

‘I didn’t leave as such, milady,’ said Roban slowly. ‘When the guilds took over our duties in the city and beyond, most of the Guard was disbanded, there only being a few score needed for the Palace alone. Quite a few of us joined up with one or other of the guild companies.’

‘I didn’t know about that,’ said Clariel. ‘I suppose I don’t know much about the city and … everything. Uh, why did the guilds take over from the Guard?’

Neither Roban nor Valannie answered, but Clariel detected a kind of tension within them, as if both would like to speak. But Roban continued to stare at the sky, and Valannie reached up to make a quick and barely noticeable adjustment to Clariel’s scarf.

‘Well, it’s useful to know about the fish, thank you,’ said Clariel, into the silence. ‘Do you know where I could buy one … or some … of these bright fish?’

‘The fish market does sell live fish and unusual catches,’ said Valannie, wrinkling her nose. She looked at Roban. ‘Is it safe today?’

Roban nodded.

‘Safe today?’ asked Clariel. ‘What do you mean? And no one has told me why I need a guard in the first place.’

‘There is some unrest in the city, milady,’ said Roban. ‘Disaffected workers and the like. There have been some … minor disturbances … and the fish market is close to the Flat, where the day workers live.’

‘Day workers?’ asked Clariel.

‘Those who do not belong to Guilds and are hired – or not – by the day,’ explained Roban patiently.

‘Nothing to do with us and nothing to worry about,’ added Valannie brightly. ‘The guilds look after their own. Oh dear, that scarf still isn’t quite right. Please, allow me, milady.’