Rosicky

Excellent chapter, Mark. George is ever-so efficient! I hope Nelson's reports will be glowing. How much would George's share be as the fleet captain (is that his title)

George has such a great strategic and tactical mind. And I never knew that Nelson was such a drama queen. Lol! I'll never be able to look at his statue in Trafalgar Square the same way again Thanks, Mark! A nice commemoration of the battle on its anniversary!

I'm so looking forward to accelerated postings. I often go back to read the earlier stories in between installments whilst I wait. Remember when you used to post a chapter a day when writing The Gunroom and The Wardroom? That was heaven. :-) Thanks, Mark!

Ah! So now I understand why this Book is called "Odyssey"! Thanks, Mark! Very nice respite of a chapter! :-)

Argh! A sick Granger! I can see Maidstone try to take advantage of things, even working to arrest Dr. Jackson, and Somers not having George's panache. But, perhaps sensing weakness in his opponent, Maidstone will try to be too bold and will make mistakes. George will make a miraculous recovery from malaria, thanks to Dr. Jackson's quinine, will catch Maidstone in some nefarious plot and then the hammer will fall. Of course, I also foresee Bertie as a hero in all this, coming to his brother's aid. Yes, that's the way I'd like to see it go, Mark. I do hope you oblige. LOL!

How interesting to read from JP's viewpoint. It is so sober and, in a way, unflourished in exposition. The courier font fits his voice perfectly. Someone mentioned it being difficult to read, but like with all academics, you really have to work to listen (without falling asleep). Lol! So is JP's voice the easiest for you to write, Mark? Thanks!

Fantastic surprise to have had this chapter to wake up to, Mark! :-) So now we have an idea as to what Maidstone is up to! Whom will George choose as the new Governor? Something to tuck under the hat and mull over for a while. :-) Mmmm ... I love young Dutch guys. Looking forward to seeing what the pair of grandsons get up to. ;-) I wonder if Calvert was staring through his telescope. LOL! Thanks, Mark!

I love this line: "The whole environment there just makes you want to love." It does! My visit to the Pantheon was on a rainy day ... so instead of a beam of sunshine, it was a pillar of water splashing down. LOL! But man, what an intense dinner. It's always difficult speaking truth to the people who have given you a home -- Claire took Will in when he ran away, JP welcomed him when he became emancipated .... But I think it's because he loves his family so much that he does it. Now they know how Brad feels! LOL! Thanks, Mark! :-)

What a fantastic chapter! Lord Granger is a wily one! ;-) Hopefully the plan will go through unmolested. Ahhh ... the specter of Maidstone comes ever nearer. I do not envy Calvert. But I'm glad both ships are in tip-top shape! Calvert's pre-occupation with Gatling is curious. Why is he tripping himself up with thoughts of him? <Sigh> Thanks, Mark!

I'm trepidatious when it comes to Hank ... What would be in store for Will if he heads to Italy with his mother and Hank? Italy's child custody laws are much different from the US and a piece of paper claiming emancipation means very little to the legal system there. As a minor under Italian law, I hope he takes his own security to serve as his guardian. Otherwise, he'd be subject to the will of his mother and, by extension, Hank. While Will is mature beyond his years, there is still a bit of naïveté. Should I be scared? Lol! Thanks, Mark!

I continue to love this story! Boy, you'd think Corbin would have enough empathy to know what's socially acceptable writing and what's not! Is Pete messing with his brain and throwing everything off kilter??? Tsk tsk tsk ... Lets see how our boy extricates himself from the one! Thanks for this great story!

Fantastic chapter, Mark! I love the development of Calvert's character! I think this is the first time I've read a scene from Calvert's perspective. He seemed to be so ruled by his unqualified love for George that introspection was lost to him. This is a great development for him as long as it doesn't go stark raving mad like celibacy does to some! Then they become overwhelmed by thoughts of unfairness as others do not appreciate or share their internal sacrifice. Let's see where Calvert goes from here!

Hmmm ... I guess I'm disappointed that you've started a new story instead of returning to stories about Dalen, Worthington or Garrett. I'm going to hold off reading this one until I know if it ends in a cliffhanger. There's no satisfaction for me if a story lingers out there with no resolution.

Impertinent Americans! Don't they know that George rescued Alexander Hamilton's niece and even had a private meeting with George Washington?!? Sheesh! LOL! And poor Calvert ... reality has interrupted once again that fantasy of sailing the oceans with George on whatever little boat they were assigned. <sigh!> One of my old law profs wrote his dissertation on Chivalry in the Military, how captured military officers before the age of modern warfare were free to roam the camps in which they were held and sit down for tea and a laugh with their opposite number. Yet it is always interesting to see this in practice, even in a fictional setting. Such is the barbaric nature war has taken on -- even to the point of poisoning civility. So I can see how George would be insulted by such slights in conflict negotiations. How interesting it will be to see how diplomacy plays out. Thanks, Mark! :-)

So, Dan, you've completed another story ripe for a sequel! :-) [you know, we're still waiting for Rich Boy: Inheritance ... hehehe!] How I wish this final chapter could have gone on for four more chapters! LOL! The bond with Gavin and Dalen went faster than a shotgun wedding. It would have been cool to get some insight from Gavin's point of view that he was thinking about Dalen in that way. And there wasn't any resolution on the fate of Paet. Dalen promised to watch over him ... what became of that promise? Knowing that I was never one of her fans, I thought that Selenay's pardon happened too quickly. She had not seen bottom yet -- she never lost the love of her husband and her son. At Dalen's bedside, when he asked about the casualties, it could have been a moment when he appeared as a leader, lamenting over the losses. Instead, it turned into a pity party for Selenay. Her ego is still in Personally, it would have been better had she died. Dalen never confronted his mother without backtracking, so it makes Dalen still seem weak and it doesn't seem like he completed the "hero cycle". Of course, perhaps the hero-cycle isn't complete and she'll be her usual self in the sequel, imposing herself on Dalen's life until he finally snaps. And while we're on the topic of sequels, we never saw the great power Ambassador Shalacman supposedly wielded. So the Haighlei are gone from Haven, but I guess they're still in Valdemar. Since we never saw the great showdown between Dalen and Shalacman, perhaps that will be the great culmination in the sequel? Unless he was always intended to be a marginal character (though a "best friend" could hardly be considered a marginal character) it would be cool to see more character development of Bart. We saw a bit with the entrance of Gavin and stories from home. Who was Starlight??? Male or female? LOL! And what's become of Blake? What will he think of Gavin? I hope he's enjoying Circuit riding. And maybe it will be in the sequel that we'll see Quinn or Tel chosen? I hope readership interest in this story has sufficiently motivated you to continue writing a sequel to this or to Rich Boy. :-) Thanks, Dan! Cheers!

Who is the real master of changing topics? Bart suggests it's Prince Dalen ... but who averted the question who is Starlight? LOL! Dalen may have had courtly upbringing, but dealing with social interactions is second-nature to Bart, which is probably why he went from Page to King's Own in less than a year. Hehehe! And here we meet Gavin ... nervous when meeting new people, socially awkward to the point of being off-putting initially, but possessing great gifts and knowledge. I would peg him as an INFJ. Again, Dan teases us with allusions to how easy their powers mesh together as if they'd been together before. Setting us up for more deception, Dan? Or is Gavin the one? How cliche to lose your virginity to a bard. LOL! I'm still waiting for Quinn to be chosen ... and whatever happened to Paet? And what about Lynn? Thanks, Dan!

So maybe there is something there between Dalen and Blake??? He never revealed who his jack off fantasy guy is. Hehehe! I think the Dalen/Bart ship has sailed ... there's friendship, but both seem to be too busy for anything more than business. I like the fact that Selenay is unloved by the Valdemarans, sidelined by her fellow plebiscite advocates and now is a prisoner/puppet in the palace cut off from all social life. There is no Court for her to wield her wiles. LOL! I have no pity for her. I'm no herald either ... so I can't see what redeeming qualities Dalen and Lofar see in her. I think they need to see a therapist to become empowered. I also think that Dalen would rather be building heartstones than dealing with governance issues and blowhard politicians. I liked the quip about the room rising 10 degrees with so many people and another 10 degrees when they begin to speak. LOL! Hopefully Dell's children will be chosen quickly! I'd like to see a beast come for Quinn. :-) He's another sweetheart! Thanks, Dan!

Why is it that everytime Granger shows up to rescue his fellow naval officers and their sailors the first question is "did they capture you, too?" LOL! Remember Bergland and the Rattlesnake rescue in the Seychelles? Hehehe! How surprising to find Humphreys and FitzWilliam in Niebla! How did they get there??? Last I remember seeing them was when Humphreys was given command of the Mouche at St Eustacius ... can't remember if we've seen them since. What have they been up to all these years??? Looking forward to finding out the answers to these questions and more! And I agree, Mark ... when a battle/action sequence takes place over a series of chapters, it is good to post in quick succession (no more than 3-4 days apart) ... I find myself losing the plot line over an extended period. So thanks for the quick posting! Hopefully the next chapter will come soon! The great escape!!! [and just so you know, it's ok by me for a gap in time before the next chapter and the battle/action sequence concludes] Thanks, Mark! :-)

If the bards do compose "The Tragedy of Selenay", perhaps they'll also memorialize "The Triumph of Windfire". Truly, Dalen could not have accomplished this great feat of rescuing the heralds and companions without the Permanent Gate (should we call it "Windfire's Gate"?), the mastery of heartstones, and understanding the great virtue of patience. Those six weeks of his life we well spent. I also have to say that I love your prose and the poignancy of your words, Dan. This was one of my favorite lines in the chapter: "As he left the apartments, he secured the regal image of her in his mind even as he sent the pre-arranged signal through his secret relay." There is so much loaded into that one sentence. Would this be the last time Dalen would see his mother? If it was, then his lasting image of her would be one of stately bearing. It would be who she is -- not primarily a mother, but a fixture in the royal court. Simiilarly on the part of Dalen, whatever might become her fate, his greater duty (and love?) is for the people of Valdemar. As you wrote in the previous chapter, "For better or worse, she has chosen her own path and will have to live with the results of that choice." It is as if they are adjacent spokes on a wagon wheel ... there is a bond to each other connected by the felloes, but their central connection is through the hub, which is Valdemar. There is that seeming tension within her heart ... while she might be proud of the fact that he is a herald, she begrudges the fact that she was never chosen and he now supersedes her. While she might be overwhelmed that a throng of 30,000 have come out to support her son whom they believe is being held captive, she, a champion of the plebiscite, is jealous of the popular support he musters. Selenay has chosen her path ... now we shall see where it leads. Diers ... I wasn't sad at all to see him go. What a pitiful character. I feel bad for the volunteers who helped Dalen within the heartstone chamber ... I hope their suffering will not be immense. And what of the people of Haven? The Haighlei have their wish ... a city rid of uncontrolled mages and heralds. But there is still a very active heartstone. I am curious to see what the final instructions were that Dalen implanted in it. The union between Dalen & Jadev seems to be supplemented by Blake & Radev. Together, they seem to make a very effective foursome! Dalen's instruction to Nevin to listen to Blake has certainly elevated the herald-trainee's status. This will be an exciting partnership to watch. Sad that Bart was carried out ... we'll see how he develops as the Monarch's Own! And Dellinar seems uncharacteristically grumpy. I wonder if he suffered any permanent damage or if it's just a matter of his short-term frustration. While it is good the heralds and companions have all been released from their captivity, for now, they are all concentrated in one place without the protection of the Haighlei promises/assurances made to Selenay. So let's see how the Prince's Retreat reacts to the coming Haighlei onslaught. I hope that General Lofar is there to meet his son! And I fear there might be some confusion in the ranks with Dellinar the new King, though still recovering, and Dalen giving innate deference to Dell while many will still look to him for decisive action. I hope my worries are misplaced. So much to think about on a Saturday morning! Many thanks, Dan!

How deep does a mother's love go? Would Selenay give up her life for Dalen? One thing that I don't understand is why Dalen allowed Selenay to continue working on affairs of State even when she knew her claim as Regent was no longer valid. Why not order her to cease and desist? Maybe Selenay will redeem herself and sacrifice herself for her son in the chapters ahead. If she doesn't, I look forward to the trial of Selenay. Diers is such a tool. A co-opted, "I drank the Kool-Aid and it tasted good" tool. Even if it would be possible to undo whatever the Haighlei did to him, I don't think he's worth redeeming. Firing squad for him. He's a Master-level waste. While I wanted a fight off the bat, I think Dalen was right in resorting to subterfuge. Diplomacy is the better part of valor. He was still able to achieve his goals ... Dell is safe, he found out who killed the King, he was able to hash things out with his mother, he calmed the heartstone and was able to tweak it, and he made contact with the heralds. So can he summon the permanent gate within his apartment? Knowing that the gate wipes out whatever is in its way when it appears, I think it would be great if he caused the gate to appear where there'd be a bunch of Haighlei guards in the Heralds quarters wiping them out ... would also be cool to gate into Companions Field and get all the companions out. Hehehe! If I were the gate-master, it would need to go in for a tune-up with less than a week's use! I'd work the crap out of it! LOL! Was Dalen able to free Liandra and her family (including cutie Quinn) before gating to Haven? It may get pretty crowded in Burnham. Hehehe! I hope Bart is able to hear through the mage light network. Looking forward to finding out all this and more! Thanks, Dan!

I would title this chapter "The Apology of Selenay" -- understanding "apology" not as an expression of regret or remorse but of excuse or justification. What a pathetic, tragic figure she is, a person who had access to so much potential in the Kingdom but wielded it haphazardly to the detriment of those she professes to help. Clearly her guile superseded her sagacity and intelligence. Itachibones reminds us of the saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Selenay is confirmed in her position as Master-Paver. And what you stated about Diers in the last review-response is also true about Selenay. Perhaps, growing up, she suffered from the magical kingdom's equivalent of "middle-child syndrome" where, as someone not Chosen and therefore marginal in Valdemar's royal governance, she embraced the cause of the plebiscite to craft a relevant role for herself thereby raising her self-esteem. But we all know that eschewing the status quo and working to undermine the organization from which she felt excluded (or not being able to fully participate) -- essentially working to take down the family business -- she is dealing with her own esteem issues in a very public way. So, like Diers, what you say also seems to apply to Selenay: "Weaker personalities are converted quicker and are then actually stronger in their resolve afterwards." Let us see if Dalen can convert her back. Personally, I hope the eminent mage tries to threaten Selenay in order to bend Dalen to his will. Then Dalen can refuse to give himself up to save her and would have the opportunity to say to his mother, "Now you can become a martyr and redeem your role in history. Meet your destiny knowing you have my love." LOL! I am glad that Dalen understands the bold in life can either be characterized as wise or foolish. So we see a still maturing Dalen giving "his eminence" an imp of a self-satisfying smile, but a wise Dalen recognizing that "his own smile may have been just a little too much." Let's see how Dalen extricates himself from this sticky-wicket! Thanks, Dan!

The Major didn't know his Sun Tzu ... know your enemy. LOL! The double penetration was pretty hot. But if Granger could take Jardines, the DP wouldn't be much worse. :-) I told you these boys were experts at taking Forts ... now where are de Arana and his men? And will the remaining men in the fort honor the terms of the duel? So let's see how much more improvisation the men of the Bacchante will have to do to make their plan work! Thanks, Mark! Hope we don't have to wait long for the next chapter ... it's a cliffhanger, right? LOL! Cheers!

Aha! I did jump the gun! So not only did he get in to see Dellinar, but he saved him from those silly mind spells! Tomas is dead and the new Monarch's own is Bart and we get a glimpse of how he was chosen after Wren was killed -- how sad for Wren! Party-crashers are always well-loved, so it's sad. And the thumping comes and Dalen regains control of the heartstone! Hooray! I love how confident Dalen is now with his magic. Shocking that Gelder was killed ... now Dalen has no one else to hide behind. It's him and Dell. Unless Dell lives a long life and his children reach the Age of Reckoning and are chosen, it's most likely that Dalen will be the Heir Presumptive! And until Dell recovers, will he wrest control of Valdemar away from the Regency controlled by his mother? What blood-path surprises are in store for Dalen that we don't know about? Presumably he's off to meet Selenay in the next chapter (do we really have to wait 12 hours for the next posting???) so it will be interesting to see how the mature Dalen fares in the face of his very imposing mother. I still think she's a blood-path mage! And I wouldn't be surprised if she pulled a paralysis spell on Dalen. Diers pisses me off ... but that's the character he has ... will never be more than a Master-class mage, and his personality is suited to serve. Apparently it doesn't matter who he serves. So I don't think it's so much that he's been brainwashed or has a spell cast over him as it his personality is predisposed to bow to authority. But people like that are always the jealous types as they see their peers advance. I wonder if that has played a part of feeding into Diers' cooperative nature with the Haighlei? Alas! I wish this story were a kindle book so I could whiz through it! LOL! Thanks, Dan!

Ah, a variation on the King Incognito device! Erik's welcome portends a good reception for Dalen when he reveals himself. But what of the heartstone? I expected some excitation (or a headache) when Dalen entered Haven ... Or is Dalen shielding himself? But the fact that Dalen didn't notice anything awry perhaps means that I'm jumping the gun! If he's going to Healers Hall, I wonder if he'll be able to sense Dell or communicate with him in his comatose state. It's sad that some heralds or their companions might have been killed or injured. I wonder if the companions can sense hs presence. The attempt to get rid of heralds but erect temples and coerce religious beliefs demonstrates the failures at attempts to destroy the narratives of modernism in an effort to become a postmodern state ... It always happens that modernism persists but it is only the narratives that are changed. Looking forward to the next chapter, Dan! Thanks!

How cool was that! I read Chapter 20 over a few times! Our impetuous, fickle boy has grown up! I guess, faced with the option of being absorbed into energy oblivion, he was forced into maturity. Hehehe! But what a fantastic opportunity for him ... the time to actually learn for learning's sake ... not because he felt he had to for pragmatic and immediate purposes. I mean, sure he had the goal of getting out of there, but the fact that he finally understood that big achievements are built on firm foundations served him well in his development as a well-balanced young man. It was touching when Windfire proclaimed Dalen his greatest legacy. I think that was an important lesson for Dalen and eased his journey into Heraldom ... you can set out the path you want in life, but the mark you leave in the world is a result of how you react to life around you. So, when it came time to be chosen, Dalen seemed to embrace fate to assume his destiny. As for Jadev, I get the feeling that maybe the Companions didn't choose Dalen because they knew he'd be a handful! LOL! So it takes a companion and his twin to assume the task. Interesting that there is a psychic link between the twin companions and Dalen & Blake. What does the future hold in store for Blake & Dalen??? And, of course, we all want to know what happened to Carl??? We saw in Chapter 19 that he had a mission for the Bard ... was he still on that mission? Did he not make it??? And I also note that Paet wasn't there to greet him. Now here we have Selenay in charge and we find out what's been going on in Haven ... what happened to Tomas (the King's Own Herald)? Did he die in the explosion, too? I was fascinated in Chapter 6 the explanation of how the companion for the Monarch's Own was born full grown in the forest of the Companions Field. So if Tomas is dead, then that means that Levin has gone on, as well. So will we get to see the birth of a new Monarch's Own Companion? Hehehe! Just a random thought. ;-) If I were Dalen, I would use some of my healing arts to enter into Selenay's mind and snoop around her cerebrum, snipping the synapses that deal with Haven's affairs of State. I hope the Haven heartstone is still accessible to him. Of course, if everything works according to plan, we'd never get to see Dalen stretch his limits. Hehehe! Thanks Dan!