“Then, not solely Palace Guard it will be, but City, too.” He honestly didn’t think that there would be enough men in the Palace Guard who were young and fit enough to supply what he wanted for two sets of bodyguards. And that wasn’t being snide either—so many of the Palace Guard had resigned their posts to serve down South that men who had retired had come out of retirement to fill their places. Those old men were perfectly fit to stand indoor guard duty at a door; if their reflexes were a little slower than in their youth, they had a world of experience to take the place of fast reflexes. They might even be good enough to fight with the army as a whole. But they couldn’t march like younger men, couldn’t run like younger men, and hadn’t the stamina that was needed for this job.

“Whatever, whomever you want,” Talamir told him. “I’ll see to it that you get it. Or him.”

“Or her. She-Heralds and she-Guards for Selenay, can I get them, half and half with men,” said Alberich, and grinned fiercely to see the surprise on both their faces. “Tcha! Think, you! No thanks from the Princess, would there be, for clumsy men in her tent trampling. And with her, they must be sleeping! And follow her other elsewheres, that a man should not go!”

“You mean to guard her that closely?” Talamir asked, his face reflecting an interesting mix of shock and approval.

“One man, with a knife, all our efforts can overset,” he pointed out to them. “Sendar your charge is, Talamir. Selenay is mine. And, say I, guarded she will be in every moment of every night and day. Battle guard there will be, but also bodyguards, will she, nil she, waking and sleeping.”

He did not say that he expected Sendar would rebel over being so closely watched and would disregard anything Talamir had to say on the subject. But Selenay would listen and obey his orders once he’d explained them, thanks be to the One God. She wouldn’t like them, but she’d obey them.

Unlike her father, she could not disregard orders. He could and would have her tied up and locked into a secure tower if he had to. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but at the moment, he thought he could count on her good sense. Especially when she saw her father being less than sensible.

Tcha. All it takes for a youngling of that age is to see the parent doing one thing, and it is certain they will try and do the opposite. How refreshing to have youthful rebellion working for him instead of against him! And perhaps, when Sendar saw his daughter being sensible, he would be shamed into sense as well. Not likely, but he could hope.