[Please read a wasted night - part three before reading this]

A wasted knight – part Four – back story to a Raevac begins


"Not many people understand the incredible responsibility and subsequent pressure a King or Queen come under when they rule a Kingdom. No decision is ever simple or without consequences. The smallest change to common law or kingdom planning decision will always impact someone or something and as a result will start a chain of events that can create issues much large and future removed from the original decisions than most people might think.

As you know, the largest kingdom is not our own, although it is one of the largest. The largest is the land of Muerdon ruled by King Gyida. Back in the history of the Muerdon Kingdom, it became obvious the protecting the borders of the kingdom was incredibly resource intensive. Often the battalions required to protect the borders where kept away from their families for years on end. The monarchy realised this was not having a positive impact on the population, for while they were all safe, they missed those that were away serving their country, and those that were away become demoralised as they watched the days go by without seeing their family for birthdays and the like.

The king began to search out ways to ease the pressure of protecting the borders of the kingdom. A plan was hatched that solved several of the huge kingdoms issues. Plan involved appointing a very select few people to be representatives of the king in all matters that concerned the kingdom. In essence they became second in command and responsible only to the king. They had the ability to send commands that would over rule anything sent before, even from the kings own hand. They had the royal signet with which to seal letters and orders. They held as much power as the king did.

The King knew that anyone with the level of power that the diplomats had, would become a target. So guardians where also appointed to serve and protect the diplomats.

Selecting a diplomat was not as simple as just looking for someone with good looks and a quick wit. They had to be the very definition of integrity, honesty, and all those fruits-of-the-spirit things.

Now as a side point, the definition of diplomat means to be an exact representation of the person or governance to which one is bound. This meant that every diplomat needed to be an exact resemblance of the kingdom of Muredon. Now everyone knows that there is no such thing as a perfect person, we all have our flaws. So how was the king to get around this? In his court, the king had many advisors both men and women who were wise and experienced. The best representation of the kingdom would be to allow both a male and female aspect to the diplomat. And so the very first diplomat was not a single person, but a married couple representing both man and woman. Our dictionaries don't reflect this at all, and the use of the word these days bears no resemblance to how it should be used. When ever a diplomat was invited to a neighbouring country, it was understood that a diplomat was two people and also the guardians that went with them.

The guardians that travelled with a diplomat where a unique breed; like the diplomat, guardians where always a duo, male and female. The bond between the diplomat and the guardians was impenetrable. Diplomats had to be able to trust their guardians with their life. For this reason and diplomat and guardians where paired for life. If a diplomat ever left the kings service, the guardians would never be sent with another diplomat. It didn't matter what reason the diplomats left the kings service for, if it was treason–which never happened in the Muerdon Kingdom, then the guardians could never be trusted. If it was death, the guardians were set free to do as they wished. The assignment as a guardian meant a lifetime of service to one diplomat and that was their life.

Diplomats and Guardians become so important to the Muredon Kingdom that young adults were hand picked and taken into special court education, and so were the guardians that would eventually protect the diplomat.

Guardians underwent years of training in everything from etiquette to martial arts. They become expert killers and perfect gentle men. The roles of each guardian differed but the responsibility was the same for both — protect the diplomat at all costs, never let anything happen to them. They were given absolute licence to kill should the need arise, and frequently it did. Guardians where expert military tacticians and would regularly adjust travel plans for fears of ambush. A Guardian was not a coward, and in the interest of protecting the kingdom, would also eliminate an ambush by sending the diplomat around another way, then heading back to deal with the ambush — Guardians where a bread not to be messed with.

It's not surprising then that Guardians became the most urban legend in the surrounding kingdoms. You see, a guardian did not dress like a warrior. They looked so similar to everyday royalty that people where never sure if a guardian was present or not. Thus people never really realised they had seen a guardian. When tails of the devastating destruction a guardian had brought on an ambush party were told, no one was ever sure guardians really existed because they had never seen a mighty warrior pass their way.

And so that is the life of a guardian" the Raevac said
The knight had listened without comment, but now he felt just a little jipped.

"Hang on, that's a lovely story but it's not about the Raevacs" complained the knight.

"Ahhh that's right, now let me tell you about the Raevacs and how they are know only by the tails that are told of the destruction they leave behind"