my own. Am I clear?”
Robert took a few steps back as his face turned chalk white. “I'm sorry sir...” His voice shook as his nerves got the better of him. “I didn't mean to insult you...” Robert seemed to shrink as he stepped back into the wall and tried to make his escape. “I’m just following protocol. You of course can find your way if you wish it. Please forgive my impertinence.”
“Calm down.” I waved dismissively. “You needn’t work yourself up over this. You have other things to worry about, like my friend here.” Pointing at Gregory I let a dark smile work its way across my face. “He is to be afforded every courtesy you would extend to me.”
My smile slid out of sight as I stepped forward and jammed a finger into Robert’s chest pinning him against the wall. His two friends flinched as they too looked around for an escape route. “If he is insulted or mistreated in anyway I will hold not only you but your entire Krewe responsabile.” My voice was cold and hard as all trace of emotion faded from my face. “Further he will not choose a Krewe until such time I see fit for him to make a well informed choice.” Pushing my finger in harder against his chest Robert stifled a groan of pain. “This my right as Progenitor!” Releasing him his knees nearly buckled. “You can test him and do whatever paperwork that needs to be done but nothing more than that.”
For a moment I thought Robert was about to faint or have a seizure as his face contorted. He was flush and turning pale all at the same time. I was quite an impressive feat! Finally able to find his voice, even if it came out a little squeaky, he stammered “But sir that isn’t protocol. I am sure that is against the Gatekeepers wishes...”
“I believe that if you inform the Gatekeeper of my ‘wishes’ he will make an exception, at least this one time.” I growled. “Robert, please do not mistake my statement as a request.”
The man blanched white and stammered. “Sir?”
“Please carry out my orders. If you have somehow misunderstood them please let me know. Otherwise this particular conversation is over!” Turning on my heels I proceeded to the end of the hallway, leaving Gregory with his escorts and more confused than ever.
I was sure that the guards would be more than a little flustered by my ‘request’ such as it was. It was well within my right to postpone Gregory’s choosing of a Krewe until he could make an informed choice. The Gatekeeper of course would be furious but what the hell was new about that? There was little he could do about it now! If he were to go against my wishes he would be overturning the law of Comus which was something I was sure he wouldn’t dare attempt. It is the price that the MCC pays to have me around whenever I might be needed, whether they like it or not.
I suppose we should set a few things straight at this point. The use of the word Gatekeeper within the local courts was purely a ceremonial title and every decade or so there is a change of the guard. The Gatekeeper sits upon the Throne of Comus as a symbol of authority and that particular honor fell to whoever was currently in the greatest favor of the majority of the Krewes. While it is true that Rex and Zulu are the face and body of the Mardi Gras celebration all the Krewes answer to the Throne of Comus.
In the 1990’s a new parade and Krewe named Orpheus was created by several of the old guard wishing to return to the glory days.They wrestled control of the Throne of Comus from the previous watchers of the city. They did it quickly and quietly, with such a display of force as to not find themselves on the receiving end of the combined krewes retaliation. It also showed how much the previous leaders were actually despised. The Court of Comus isn’t a court in and of itself, but an amalgamation of all the other Krewes higher echelon, combined into a Congress of sorts that allows the Krewes to act with one mind. This is one of
Robert took a few steps back as his face turned chalk white. “I'm sorry sir...” His voice shook as his nerves got the better of him. “I didn't mean to insult you...” Robert seemed to shrink as he stepped back into the wall and tried to make his escape. “I’m just following protocol. You of course can find your way if you wish it. Please forgive my impertinence.”
“Calm down.” I waved dismissively. “You needn’t work yourself up over this. You have other things to worry about, like my friend here.” Pointing at Gregory I let a dark smile work its way across my face. “He is to be afforded every courtesy you would extend to me.”
My smile slid out of sight as I stepped forward and jammed a finger into Robert’s chest pinning him against the wall. His two friends flinched as they too looked around for an escape route. “If he is insulted or mistreated in anyway I will hold not only you but your entire Krewe responsabile.” My voice was cold and hard as all trace of emotion faded from my face. “Further he will not choose a Krewe until such time I see fit for him to make a well informed choice.” Pushing my finger in harder against his chest Robert stifled a groan of pain. “This my right as Progenitor!” Releasing him his knees nearly buckled. “You can test him and do whatever paperwork that needs to be done but nothing more than that.”
For a moment I thought Robert was about to faint or have a seizure as his face contorted. He was flush and turning pale all at the same time. I was quite an impressive feat! Finally able to find his voice, even if it came out a little squeaky, he stammered “But sir that isn’t protocol. I am sure that is against the Gatekeepers wishes...”
“I believe that if you inform the Gatekeeper of my ‘wishes’ he will make an exception, at least this one time.” I growled. “Robert, please do not mistake my statement as a request.”
The man blanched white and stammered. “Sir?”
“Please carry out my orders. If you have somehow misunderstood them please let me know. Otherwise this particular conversation is over!” Turning on my heels I proceeded to the end of the hallway, leaving Gregory with his escorts and more confused than ever.
I was sure that the guards would be more than a little flustered by my ‘request’ such as it was. It was well within my right to postpone Gregory’s choosing of a Krewe until he could make an informed choice. The Gatekeeper of course would be furious but what the hell was new about that? There was little he could do about it now! If he were to go against my wishes he would be overturning the law of Comus which was something I was sure he wouldn’t dare attempt. It is the price that the MCC pays to have me around whenever I might be needed, whether they like it or not.
I suppose we should set a few things straight at this point. The use of the word Gatekeeper within the local courts was purely a ceremonial title and every decade or so there is a change of the guard. The Gatekeeper sits upon the Throne of Comus as a symbol of authority and that particular honor fell to whoever was currently in the greatest favor of the majority of the Krewes. While it is true that Rex and Zulu are the face and body of the Mardi Gras celebration all the Krewes answer to the Throne of Comus.
In the 1990’s a new parade and Krewe named Orpheus was created by several of the old guard wishing to return to the glory days.They wrestled control of the Throne of Comus from the previous watchers of the city. They did it quickly and quietly, with such a display of force as to not find themselves on the receiving end of the combined krewes retaliation. It also showed how much the previous leaders were actually despised. The Court of Comus isn’t a court in and of itself, but an amalgamation of all the other Krewes higher echelon, combined into a Congress of sorts that allows the Krewes to act with one mind. This is one of
Similar Books
