As the carriage lurched into motion, it gave a few jolts that must of sent shocks up the giant knight's spine, but he didn't seem bothered.  He watched the girls enjoying the sights of the great stone and brick city in the shade of the canyon, smiling softly.  He knew they'd been here some years at the university and was pleased that they hadn't grown too jaded.<br/><br/>One particularly harsh jostle made him shift uncomfortably, and he smiled at the thought that he was glad he'd taken the harsher seat.  The girls looked healthy, but they couldn't possibly have dealt with soft shocks as easily as he did.<br/><br/>The petite blond whispered something about the dances they both knew into the redhead's ear, warming the two up towards conversation.  His heart and loins jolted a flash of imagining what those soft pink lips were doing behind the curtain of ringlet-curled platinum hair.  He shifted, chidnig himself for silly fantasyies, and his foot managed to unintentialy brush Megan's calf and the inside of Brynn's foot wiht one motion.  He flushed, stammered once, then smiled sheepishly.<br/><br/>Megan looked away from her friends ear, met the knight's eyes, and giggled softly.  She rested a hand on the redhead's knee and squeezed, then encouraged, "Ask him, Brynn."<br/><br/>Cedric swallowed with giddy wariness, and drew in a relieved breath when her questions proved to be entirely practical.  "I have, Miss Connovich, on three occasions, though the most recent was two years ago, when I was still a squire."<br/><br/>Memories of dreams of memories danced through his mind, reminding him that was a lie.  He'd been there many times, countless ages ago.<br/><br/>"The tower is a wonder of the ancient world, but with all the comforts of a modern palace.  The dance floor has a domed ceiling high enough for a cathedral."<br/><br/>"I served the prince's father under my knight since I was fourteen," he explained.  "The Viceroy knighted me a few months before his untimely death.  I was doing a survey of the kingdom for him at the time."<br/><br/>"I've had occasion to meet two of her normal advisors, Amarina Syle and Martyn Obert.  As to guards, I know she's been hiring, and recently aquired the services of a man about my size.  I don't know anything about him, but I saw him from afar and he seemed competent and his strength suited his frame.<br/><br/>"There have been whole histories written around the question of how many guards someone needs, but a few things to note.  When one gives a public speech, one should bring at least twenty-one burly men of reliable loyalty to stand in formal dress between them and the crowd in case things turn ugly.  Between three and seven archers are also recognized.  In this city, I err on the side of seven, myself.  Perhaps more, unless the princess means to appear in ceremonial armor.  There have been few women in history who attracted so many arrows as the typical viceroy, so how many everyday gaurds are wise is a key question.  Fortunatly, swordmaidens are not so rare in our society as ruling queens."