The Palace Guard is DONE!

[rthstewart]

yipee!!  This is very satisfying, to have a second story up and complete this year, even if the dangly bits I'm leaving unresolved are beginning to accumulate like dust bunnies under the bed.

But, a burning question.  Several reviewers asked as to the species of the physician.  I have three characters floating around in these stories, with actual name and species unidentified:

The General
Cook
The Physician

We now know that Cook can lob cabbages with fair accuracy.  We know the Physician is old and had an unhealthy fascination with primate mating and bonding systems.  So, what species is the Physician?  I figure he needs to have paws for grasping and that immediately limits us pretty much to mustelids, rodents, and a few others.  My two top contenders:
A raccoon
A porcupine

Admit it, a porcupine physician is pretty darn amusing, yeah?

Comments

[autumnia]

I can see why a porcupine would be amusing. And it would make sense why no one would ever want to go see the Physician then. Think of how uncomfortable it would be if the doctor keeps poking at you with both medical instruments AND his/her quills!

Cook is a strange one. I keep having the picture of a Dwarfess in mind for Cook. She has the hands to throw cabbages at those in the vegetable garden, and such a temper as to let you know when she is peeved (by her screaming and her displeasure in the food set in front of you).

As for the General... that is hardest of all! Centaurs always come to mind since the movies came out and most fanfics on FF.net use Oreius or some other Centaur OC. I feel the need to go and refresh my memory on mythological creatures.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

I may have to do a short little one shot explaining the Porcupine. And yes, with the General, I've deliberately avoided committing myself to Oreius because he is so well known, such a fixture, and so well fleshed out in Elecktrum's work. I wanted something different to very clearly distinguish this vision from others, but for the life of me, I'm having a problem with figuring out some other species. Satyr or Dryad, a Minotaur are possibilities. I even thought of a War Horse or Gryphon, which would then explain why there is a swordmaster as well

[autumnia]

You know, as I was writing my earlier response, the thought of a Minotaur and a Gryphon came to mind as well. The Minotaur would be easier, given he stands on two legs and can wield swords with his hands. They Gryphon would surely be harder to write, unless you set the good Beast up as more of a strategic General and not one who could help the Kings practice in their training (which is why Sir Leszi is there then).

And I must admit, now that this story is done, I spent a good majority of my work hours today re-reading "By Royal Decree". You can get a deeper meaning to the relationship between Jalur and Edmund now, and I was struck by how accurate Mr. Hoberry's description was: the Tiger truly does "manage" Edmund!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, the old abuse of work resources. I'm really becoming enamoured with the idea of a Gryphon as the General, and a female at that.