Annan stayed in Town and refused to leave. He would not even step outside.
He finally emerged from his room the afternoon after they arrived in Town. Downstairs in the living room, Maria was drinking black tea and leafing through the Rikaner Glory issues Hellrit had collected when she heard heavy footsteps.
She looked up and saw Annan standing on the third stair, dressed in leather boots, an old-fashioned noble's formal suit, and blacked-out eyeglasses.
"Do I look the part?" he asked out of nowhere.
"What part?"
"Alexander, at your service."
Maria thought for a moment, then her brow cleared. "Another Magic Film?"
"Mm-hmm."
Maria set down the newspaper and studied his outfit. "What are you playing this time? Some charming fellow?"
Annan came down the stairs, recalling the original story. "More or less."
"Can I hear about it?"
Annan handed Maria the script. "It's only a draft. I still need to revise it and fill it out..." He glanced around. "Where's Illymoyas?"
"She's out scouring Town... patrolling."
"...I see."
Maria opened the script. The story began aboard a moving Train. Bond David, his wife, and his aides were traveling to Sworn City, where he was to take office as City Lord. They were riding the Train and singing when Alexander, a card-playing bandit, suddenly robbed them—
Maria knew what playing cards were, and she could just about picture a card-playing bandit. But what was a Train?
"What's a Train?"
"It's... a kind of machine, not unlike a Magic Musket."
A vehicle propelled by gunpowder? Maria could not picture it. Could the people inside even survive?
Annan paused to think. Forcing a Train into the story really was a stretch... Should he take the opportunity to have Copperbeard build one? That would be making dumplings just for the vinegar.
Besides,