He looked gravely at the king. "It isn't an easy thing to give your loyalty to someone you don't know, especially when that person chooses to reveal nothing of himself. But no matter, Your Majesty. You are revealed at last." The king looked down at his nakedness and back at the captain. "Was that a joke?" he asked.

I'm dying of boredom. Or maybe just dying.

You learn something new everyday." "What are you learning?" Sophos asked. "To keep my mouth shut, I hope.

I am a master of foolhardy plans, I thought. I have so much practice I consider them professional risks.

His forehead was covered by wrinkles brought on by a lot of sun and too much frowning.

Ridiculous to think what indignities I would suffer in silence, if I knew that I was to be rewarded with an oversize bucket of hot water," the magus said as he settled into the bath the servants had filled for him.

No 'Glory shall be your reward' for me. Oh, no, for me, it is, 'Stop whining' and 'Go to bed'.