[A] Doubt is a Luxury {Alderan}

   So. Here he was. To be honest, Alderan was hardly paying any attention to the messenger that had arrived from Devereaux with an update on how his land was running in his absence; no surprise they were doing well aside from the predictable, uncontrollable mishap like a crop coming up short for lack of rain. It wasn't helping his frame of mind either that a handful of soldiers (not his own, thankfully for Alderan's reputation for leading a talkative but obedient unit) had been making a ruckus last night entertaining themselves on guard duty. That is, talking loudly and sparring; lack of sleep left him a bit grouchy and irritable, though thankfully not so much that he was about to run off the messenger giving the reports he had taken such measures to have given to him.

   It wasn't until the messenger had suddenly stopped talking and stepped aside that Alderan returned from his place lost in his thoughts, standing as the General entered his tent. He had hardly, if ever really, spoken to the man save for during the occasional debates in court, but even then. Besides his reputation as a leader, Alderan had also earned himself a bit of notoriety for speaking up against ideas or orders that had the potential for needless bloodshed... an addition to this title that had also earned him a bit of disdain from some of the older, more war-experienced lords. Saluting, he offered Glozelle the seat across from his at the table.

   It was rather hard to hide the expression of grim surprise at the mention of the retrieval 'mission' (if it could be called that), having only heard by rumor that Lord Drinian was still at the Narnian encampment. If it had been this long already... Alderan hated to think what could have happened to the boy if he had not yet returned. Drinian was indeed a lord, but he was still only barely a man; he knew all too well the struggles of a young man having to shoulder the burden of a noble at such a tender age, though he himself had had a few years on Drinian when he had inherited his own land.

   "I have not received orders on the matter," He replied, careful to maintain a professional level of stoicism, "But, if I may inquire, as to how many units we will be taking with us? I cannot imagine his Majesty would have amassed such an army were the enemy not of formidable numbers themselves."

   Not that he believed in that Old Narnian nonsense; as far as Alderan was concerned, the rebel Prince was using it as a bluff and the King had taken it up as a scare tactic in order to recruit more troops and the loyalty of his lords.